






LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Cliap^.Zr| Copyright No. 

Shelf.,„Q._0.8CVo 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




ON THE WOELD’S EOOF 









The End of the Tiger Hunt 


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@HB ^OI^IiD’S I^OOF 


BY 



j. Macdonald oxley 

•» 

AUTHOR OF 

'"'‘Donald Grant's Develop '-'•Bert Lloyd's Boyhood^' 
Fergus A/c Tavisk," “ Up Among the Ice Floes," 

“ The Hero of Start Point," etc. 



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PHILADELPHIA 

AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY 

1420 Chestnut Street 


Copyright 1897 by the 

American Baptist Publication Society 


ifrom the Society’s own Iprcds 


NOTE 


The Author desires to express his special 
obligations in regard to this story to Andrew 
Wilsofis Abode oj SnoWy' and E. F. 
Knight's Where Three Empires APeetT 






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CONTENTS 

CHAP. PAGE 

I. THE START FOR THE HEIGHTS . , , I 

II. A TIMELY RESCUE 1 5 

III. THE KILLING OP THE MAN-EATER . . 29 

IV. INTO THE MIDST OP THE MOUNTAINS . 44 

V. AN EXTRAORDINARY STEED . . .57 

VI. STRANGE VISITORS AT NIGHT . • , 70 

VII. AT THE GATEWAY OP THIBET . , , 84 

VIII. TURNED BACK FROM TARTARY . . ,98 

IX. PERILS BY THE WAY . , • ,112 

X. MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS . . • .126 

XI. IN THE VALLEY OF GLACIERS . • . 14° 

XII. WITH THE HIMALAYAN HIGHLANDERS . 154 

XIII. THE GREAT PADAM STEEPLECHASE . . 167 

XIV. SICKNESS AND PERIL . . • . 181 

XV. ROBBERS AND BEARS . . . -194 

vii 


VUl 


CONTENTS 


CHAP. 



PABB 

XVI. INTO THE GARDEN OP EDEN . 

• 

• 

207 

XVII. A CHAPTER OF ADVENTURES . 

• 

• 

220 

XVIII. THE STORMING OF NILT FORTRESS 

• 

• 

233 

XIX. THE BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS 

• 

• 

246 

XX. THE END OF THE JOURNEY , 

• 

• 

259 


ON THE WORLD’S ROOF 


CHAPTER I 

THE START FOR THE HEIGHTS 

When Kent Stannard returned to India from 
England, where he had been at school ever since 
his eighth year, he found his father full of 
an enterprise that at once enlisted his keenest 
interest. 

Kent was a typical English boy in mental as 
well as physical characteristics. Somewhat above 
the usual stature for his age, now sixteen years, 
he had the light curly hair, blue eyes, clear skin, 
and regular features that bespoke the Anglo-Saxon. 
His well-proportioned frame had been thoroughly 
developed by a long course of cricket, football, 
rowing, and other athletic exercises ; and his mind 
richly stored with knowledge,' for he was one who 
put his heart into his studies no less than into his 
sports. Among the trophies he brought back with 
him, to proudly show his father, were as many 

A 


2 


ON THE WORLD’S ROOF 


prizes for high standing in his classes as for prowess 
in the field or on the river. 

In common with other sturdy boys he cherished 
a keen craving for adventure, and when his father, 
after the first raptures of their reunion were over, 
in a burst of confidence not usual with him, but 
due no doubt to the excitement of the occasion, let 
out something about what he contemplated doing, 
Kent at once exclaimed, “ What a grand idea ! 
You’ll take me with you, of course ? ” 

At first Mr. Stannard seemed doubtful. He had 
not fully made up his mind to have his boy accom- 
pany him, for there were sure to be great hardships 
and no small danger involved in the undertaking; 
and as he looked at him now, presenting a perfect 
picture of boyish vigour, it seemed as if, perhaps, he 
ought not to be exposed to such trials and perils. 

But Kent was not to be gainsaid. He had 
carried away with him to his English school a 
lively sense of the romantic side of life in India, 
which had been nurtured by his father’s letters 
and his own reading, so that he returned to the 
country full of determination to have all the sport 
and excitement possible before settling down to the 
serious business of life. 

His father’s project promised him precisely what 
he desired, and he was glad that Mr. Stannard had 
waited until his return before carrying it out. 


THE START FOR THE HEIGHTS 3 

As a matter of fact this was due more to the 
force of circumstances than to any tliought of Kent 
in the matter. Mr. Stannard, who held a high 
position in the Forestry Department of the Indian 
Service, and whose duties often brought him to the 
foot of the Himalayan Mountains, had for some 
years past been planning a trip into the mysterious 
regions on the other side of that mightiest of 
earthly barriers. Again and again, from one cause 
and another, he had been compelled to postpone 
his purpose, but he never gave it up; and now at 
last the way was clear — a long furlough had been 
granted him by the Department, his own private 
affairs could be left to themselves for a while, and 
only one difficulty stood in his way. 

This was Kent himself, for when he had written 
for him to come home from school he had not 
known that the chance to carry out his long- 
cherished design would come so soon ; otherwise he 
would have delayed his son’s return for another 
year. To Kent, however, this falling out of events 
seemed quite providential. 

“Why, father,” he argued, as they talked to- 
gether, “ what could be more proper than that you 
should take me along ? You’ll have nobody else with 
you except your servants, and you’ll soon get tired of 
their company; and then, if anything were to happen 
to you, who’d look aftej you, I’d like to know ? ” 


4 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


Mr. Stannard’s counteiiaiice, which had been fur- 
rowed with serious thoughts, relaxed into a smile 
of indulgent pride. 

“ And do you think, Kent,” he asked, “ that you 
would be equal to tMking care of me if I should fall 
sick, or break my leg, or something equally foolish ? ” 

Straightening himself up, Kent gave his father a 
look of warm affection as he responded with great 
vigour, “ I could do my best any way, father, and 
that would be a good deal better for you than being 
alone, wouldn’t it ? ” 

“ To be sure, Kent ; to be sure,” returned Mr. 
Stannard. ‘‘ I’ll have to think it over, and see if I 
can arrange to have you go with me.” 

Satisfied with this, for he felt no doubt as to the 
final issue of his father’s deliberations in the matter, 
Kent said nothing more, and went out for a ride 
upon his pony. 

Mr. Stannard and his son were practically alone 
in the world ; for, although they had some relatives 
in England, there was but little communication with 
them, and they had only themselves to look to in 
India. While this rendered it easy in one way 
for them to make the venture together that Mr. 
Stannard had in mind, in another way it created 
an obstacle; for if any catastrophe should befall 
them entailing the loss of both their lives, it would 
mean the extinction of theij branch of the family. 


THE START FOR THE HEIGHTS 5 

a possibility which Mr. Stannard shrank from con- 
templating. There were, then, many things to be 
considered before a conclusion could be reached 
and it was not until the next day that Mr. Stannard 
announced his decision. 

“ I’ve thought it all over thoroughly, Kent,” said 
he. “ As to your going or remaining here, there’s 
much to be said on both sides. For some reasons 
I would prefer your staying behind. But, on the 
other hand, your heart is set on going, and I’m free 
to confess your company will be a great comfort, 
and so I’ve decided to ” 

“ To take me along — hurrah ! ” shouted Kent, 
finishing the sentence for his father, and at the 
same time throwing his arms about his neck in the 
exuberance of his joy. “ You’re a dear, kind pater, 
so you are, and I'll be the best boy you ever knew, 
all the time; you see if I’m not.” 

Mr. Stannard returned the embrace, saying with 
a laugh, “It’s easy promising, Kent, isn’t it, when 
you have just been allowed to have your own way. 
We’ll see what your fine words are worth when 
they’re a month old.” 

And so the matter was settled, and the wide 
boundaries of India did not contain a happier boy 
than Kent Stannard, whose first impulse, naturally, 
was to rush out and tell the good news to the rest 
of the world. 


6 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


Having abundant time at his command, Mr. 
Stannard thought it a good opportunity to let his 
son see something of the wonderful country of 
which he knew but little; and so the journey from 
Bombay to the foot of the mountains was made in 
a very leisurely fashion. 

It was in the middle of the month of March 
when they set out, the railway train bearing them 
swiftly along in artificially cooled carriages that 
enabled them to be comfortable in spite of the 
blinding sunlight and the golden dust of the Indian 
plain. Halts of a day or two were made at Nasik, 
a city so holy in the estimation of the Hindoos that 
the mere mention of the name with due reverence 
is supposed to effect the forgiveness of sins, and 
at Nandgaum, where a visit was made to the 
wonderful rock - temples and sculptured caves of 
Ellora. 

But neither of these places made so deep an 
impression upon Kent as Jubbulpore, or rather the 
famous Marble Rocks, ten miles from that city. 
They drove thither in a comfortable horse -carriage 
that was a pleasant change after the monotony of 
the train, and put up at the beautifully situated 
government bungalow, where an aged but active 
khansamah prepared for them a remarkably good 
dinner. 

The visit to the Marble Rocks was made at 


THE START FOR THE HEIGHTS 7 

(lawn, while the moon, then in full glory, still 
held her place in the sky, and the scene was one 
of surpassing beauty. The Nurbudda Eiver, after 
being pent up in a narrow chasm and plunging 
madly over a lofty ledge, flowed quietly through a 
canon enclosed by cliffs of snowy marble. 

Mr. Stannard and Kent went up in a boat, and 
so still was it at that early hour that only the soft 
splash of the paddles broke the silence. The marble 
walls on which the moon shone, sparkling like silver 
under her rays, reflected so brilliant a radiance as 
almost to break the gloom of the opposite side, that 
was deep in shadow, and here and there shafts of 
dazzling light brightened the bosom of the stream, 
otherwise as black as ink. As the boat glided by 
a cleft in the rocks one of the boatmen sent a thrill 
through his passengers by indicating the spot as the 
favourite drinking-place of a man-eating tiger that 
had been levying its awful toll of human life upon 
the neighbourhood. 

“ Is there any chance of our seeing him ? ” asked 
Kent eagerly. “ I’d so like to see a real wild tiger 
with my own eyes.” 

“ But suppose he saw you, and took it into his 
head to make his breakfast of you ? ” suggested Mr. 
Stannard, with a smile. 

“Oh, there’s no fear of that,” responded Kent 
f^aily. “ So long as we stayed in the boat we’d be 


8 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


all right. He’d never dare to swim out after us, 
no matter how hungry he was.” 

He had hardly spoken when the boatman in the 
bow suddenly gave a cry of terror and slirank down 
in the bottom of the boat as if to dodge some 
missile. 

By a common impulse the others looked at once 
in the same direction, and there, seen plainly in 
the moonlight on the very edge of the river, was 
an enormous tiger whose stripes showed black and 
white in the silver radiance. 

The boat was not more than twenty yards from 
the shore, and the terrible creature seemed so near 
that at first even Mr. Stannard was paralysed with 
panic. But it was only for an instant. Grasping 
his rifle, which lay beside him, and preparing to fire 
if the tiger showed the slightest sign of springing 
after them, he commanded the boatmen to paddle 
for their lives. 

At the sound of his voice the tiger, who had 
up to that moment seemed unconscious of their 
proximity, lifted his huge head from the water he 
had been vigorously lapping and gave an ominous 
growl that sent a shiver through all Kent’s frame. 

“ 0 father, he’s coming after us ! ” he cried in a 
terror-stricken tone, making the light boat rock by 
a sudden movement towards the stern, where his 
father sat. 


THE STAET FOR THE HEIGHTS 9 

“ Keep still and be quiet, Kent ! ” commanded 
Mr. Stannard sternly, without taking his eyes off 
the tiger. 

By this time the boatmen had recovered their 
self-possession sufficiently to ply the paddles strenu- 
ously, and the distance between the man-eater and 
the boat rapidly increased. 

Still growling fiercely and switching his tail from 
side to side, the tiger kept his baneful eyes fastened 
on the boat, yet made no effort to follow it, and in 
a few moments more it was completely beyond his 
reach. Not until then did Mr. Stannard lower his 
rifle. He had not pulled the trigger, although he 
was an excellent marksman, because he feared the 
consequence of inflicting a wound that would infu- 
riate the fierce creature without instantly rendering 
it powerless for harm. 

But his motive was misunderstood by Kent, who, 
as soon as his first fright had passed, said reproach- 
fully — 

“ Why didn’t you shoot the brute, father ? You 
had such a splendid chance.” 

“ Because you were with me, Kent,” replied Mr. 
Stannard gravely. “ Had I been alone I wouldn’t 
have hesitated a moment.” 

Kent blushed, and said no more. For the first 
time he realised how much his presence added to 
his father’s care, and he registered a vow with him- 


10 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


self to give him as little trouble as possible while 
the long journey before them continued. Propelled 
by vigorous paddling, the light boat went on to the 
end of the canon, wliere a brief halt was made to 
rest the boatmen. 

As they set out to return, the sun rose in un- 
clouded splendour, lighting up every nook and 
crevice of the chasm, which, although it lost the 
weird appearance it had borne in the moonshine, 
seemed even more extraordinary in the light of day. 
Glittering fish leaped from the glassy water in 
pursuit of the brilliant dragon-flies that skimmed 
rashly near the surface; monkeys of all ages and 
sizes scrambled about the rocky banks, disturbing 
the morning silence with volleys of simian billings- 
gate to show how hotly they resented the intrusion 
of “ humans ” upon their domain ; while on the 
ledges above them peacocks spread their splendid 
tails, and called attention to their beauty by their 
harsh, piercing cries, that seemed so strangely out of 
character. 

Kent, who carried his own rifle, a particularly 
fine one he had got in London before leaving 
England, was just about to take a shot at one of 
the peacocks, when the boatman nearest him laid 
a restraining hand upon his arm, saying in an 
earnest, entreating voice — 

“ Young sahib not shoot ! It make the bees mad.’ 


THE START FOR THE HEIGHTS I I 

“Make the bees mad — and what harm if it 
does?” demanded Kent somewhat angrily, throwing 
off the brown hand from his arm. 

Mr. Stannard, who had not visited the Marble 
Eocks before, was puzzled on his part by the 
Hindoo’s action. 

“ What do you mean ?” he inquired. “ Why is 
it dangerous to fire ? ” 

The Hindoo’s expression was a curious blending 
of humility and determination as he hastened to 
explain as best he could, in his broken way, that 
the big bees’-nests which could be seen hanging 
here and there against the cliffs were the homes of 
a very large and ferocious kind of bee, whose sting 
was almost as poisonous as a snake-bite, and which, 
if aroused, would pursue them with relentless fury. 

When the boat had passed down beyond all the 
nests, the boatman, evidently much easier in his 
mind, told of how two sahibs out on a hunting 
expedition, and not aware of the dreadful character 
of the bees, had, in firing at a peacock, unfortu- 
nately chanced to hit one of the nests. Instantly 
the bees flew out and swarmed to the attack of the 
Englishmen, one of whom was so badly stung that 
he died, while the other only saved his life by leap- 
ing into the water and diving constantly until he 
had shaken off his merciless assailants. 

The hearing of this sad incident impressed Kent 


12 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


deeply. It seemed such a dreadful way for a man 
to die— stung to death by bees. 

“ The poor fellow,” he murmured. “ I suppose 
he could not swim, or he would have jumped into 
the water too.” 

From Jubbulpore the travellers went on to Alla- 
habad, the city famous as the point at which the 
awful tide of mutiny was stemmed and the Indian 
Empire saved, and thence to Agra, where, of course, 
they did not fail to spend many hours admiring the 
Taj Mahal, the Dewan-i-Khas, the Moti Musjid, 
and other marvellous structures which seem more 
like the fabulous palaces of the “ Arabian Nights ” 
relations than the actual work of human hands. 
Kent, who had a markedly artistic temperament, 
took great delight in these miracles of architecture, 
and his father was fain to delay their departure in 
order that they might make yet one more visit to 
them. 

The evening they spent at the Taj Mahal, when 
the moon shone in all her glory, was an ever- 
memorable one ; and they would both have been 
glad to linger longer in a city so rich in splendid 
spectacles, but it was necessary to push on that 
they might reach the foot of the mountain before 
the beginning of summer. For this reason they 
made no further halt of any duration until they 
reached Dellii, where Kent again had the oppor- 


THE START FOR THE HEIGHTS 1 3 

tunity of feasting his eyes upon palaces and 
mosques of marvellous beauty. 

For two days they gave themselves up to these 
splendid proofs of Mogul wealth and power, the 
Jama Masjid, in the heart of the city, and the 
wonderful Kutab Minar, ten miles to the south, 
claiming their special attention. 

Of course Kent could not be content without 
ascending to the top of the latter ; but Mr. Stannard, 
having made the ascent on his own account more 
than once previously, and not feeling quite up to 
the mark that day, remained below. Up the dark 
winding staircase Kent made his way, starting ofi‘ 
at great speed, which soon, however, was reduced to 
a walk as the steepness of the climb told upon his 
legs and lungs. 

Eeaching the top in due course, he shouted and 
waved his hat triumphantly to his father, who was 
sitting on a block of stone in a shady corner nearly 
two hundred and fifty feet below him, and who 
returned the salute by waving his handkerchief 
without making any attempt to shout back. 

The view from Kent’s lofty stand - point was 
glorious beyond all description, and he lingered so 
long enjoying it that his father grew impatient. 
It was some time before he could attract Kent’s 
attention, but after much expenditure of breath 
and waving of arms he finally succeeded. Kent 


14 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


at once began the descent, whistling merrily, and 
feeling well satisfied with himself. 

He had passed the highest balcony, from which 
he signalled to his father to let him know he was 
on his way down, and was about half-way between 
it and the next, when, in a dusky part of the stair- 
case, he found his progress barred by a most repul- 
sive-looking being, who opposed his passage with 
outspread arms and menacing mien. 


CHAPTEE II 

A TIMELY RESCUE 

Now Kent hai his full share of British pluck. 
Indeed he was inclined to be brave to the verge 
of rashness ; but to meet such a dirty, half-naked, 
and wild-looking creature when alone on the dimly 
lighted interior of a tower full two hundred feet up 
in the air, was surely sufficient to try the nerve of 
a stout-hearted man, not to mention a boy scarce 
half through his teens. 

“ What do you want ? Why are you standing 
in my way ? ” he demanded, with a tremor in his 
voice, of which he was himself conscious. 

The mysterious being’s answer was only to brace 
himself still more firmly in the middle of the narrow 
passage, and to glare fiercely back as though Kent 
were his deadliest enemy. His attitude and ex- 
pression were so suggestive of violent, if not indeed 
of murderous intent, that Kent broke out into a cry 
of “ Help ! help ! ” and sought to retrace his steps 
to the balcony he had just left, and from which he 
could appeal to his father for aid. 

*5 


1 6 ON THE world’s ROOF 

But the fakir — for such was the character of his 
assailant — had no idea of permitting tliis. Stretch- 
ing out a long, bony, sinewy arm, he caught Kent 
by the collar of his coat and roughly held him back, 
muttering something that was, of course, quite unin- 
telligible to the terrified boy. 

Frantic with fear, Kent struggled furiously, and 
even struck at the fakir’s arm, striving with all his 
might to break away, and shouting — 

“ Let go of me ! What business have you to 
hold me like this ? ” 

But the fakir, smiling sardonically at these vain 
efforts — for Kent, sturdy lad though he was, seemed 
a mere child in his powerful grasp — repeated his 
guttural words, whatever they meant, and evidently 
intended to hold on to Kent until he granted his 
request. 

Kent would have been only too glad to do any- 
thing in his power could he have understood what 
was required of him, but no comprehension on his 
part being possible, he increased his struggles for 
liberty, and his cries for help. At length, finding 
his utmost strength unavailing, he resorted to 
strategy ; for, his first panic having passed away, he 
had in some measure recovered his mental balance. 
Ceasing all effort, he stood still, and looking the 
fakir hard in the face, asked of him in an indignant 
tone — 


A TIMELY RESCUE 1 7 

“ What do you want of me ? Wliy do you try 
to keep me here ? ” 

The man, seeming taken aback at this action, let 
go of Kent, and again repeated the strange gib- 
berish. This gave Kent the opportunity he had 
hoped for. Like a flash out went his right arm, 
and his tightly clenched fist caught the fakir in the 
bridge of the nose, at the same moment that his 
right foot received a sharp kick at the heel. 

Utterly unprepared for such an attack, he went 
over like a nine-pin, and springing past him, Kent 
dashed down the steps at a break-neck speed, not 
stopping until he plunged plump into the arms of 
his father, who, growing uneasy at his delay, had 
come up part of the way in quest of him. 

“ Hello! what’s the matter? Is there a tiger 
after you ? ” queried Mr. Stannard, seeing from his 
son’s face that he was not descending so recklessly 
for mere amusement. 

“Hot a tiger, but a horrid man,” panted Kent. 
“ That is, if he’s picked himself up again.” 

“ Why, what do you mean, my boy ? What man 
is chasing you ? There’s no one coming down 
behind you,” said Mr. Stannard, with puzzled ex- 
pression, after listening for a momept. 

Kent then proceeded to tell his story, at which 
his father first laughed, and then looked grave. 

It was no doubt one of those so-called holy 

B 


1 8 ON THE world’s ROOF 

men that go about the country living upon their 
betters,” explained Mr. Stannard. “ He wanted a 
few annas from you, that was all, and was deter- 
mined not to let you pass until you handed them 
over. But, although he went the wrong way about 
it, you shouldn’t have knocked him down all the 
same, and he can make things very nasty for us if 
he sees fit. We’d better get away from here as 
soon as possible.” 

“ Well, I’m sure I don’t know what else I could 
have done,” exclaimed Kent, somewhat crestfallen 
at being reproved instead of applauded for his treat- 
ment of the fakir. “ The rascal wouldn’t let go 
of me, and I had no idea what mischief he was 
up to.” 

“ I’m not blaming you a bit, my son,” responded 
Mr. Stannard. “ What you did was perfectly natural, 
but the dirty wretch will not be likely to take that 
view of it, and if he makes his grievance known to 
his own people there’ll be trouble for us.” 

While they were talking they were hastening 
away from the Kutab Minar, Kent looking back 
every few steps to see if the fakir was following. 
But whether he had knocked the senses out of him 
for a time by banging his head against the stone 
walls, or gave him such a scare that he dare not 
show himself again, certain it was that they saw 
nothing more of him. 


A TIMELY RESCUE 


19 


Leaving Delhi that same day, they continued on 
without further halt for siglit-seeiiig until they 
reached Simla, where some time would have to be 
spent in making the necessary preparations for the 
journey into the mountains. Arriving as they did 
late in April, they avoided the great confusion 
consequent upon the coming of the Viceroy, the 
Commander-in- Chief of the army, and the other 
high and mighty officials of the supreme Govern- 
ment, who always spend the hot summer months, 
that would be unendurable down on the burning 
plains, on the cool heights of the Himalayan hills. 
They were therefore able to secure comfortable 
quarters in a big bungalow, and Kent settled down 
for a good look at the awe-imposing powers upon 
whom rested the responsibility of the most im- 
portant portion of England’s colonial empire. 

Even to a boy who had no social ambitions to 
satisfy, no personal ends to serve, Simla could not 
fail to be full of interest, and being of a very 
observant and inquiring turn of mind, Kent found 
abundant diversion in the brilliant life eddying 
about him, while his father busied himself with 
getting ready for their expedition into the moun- 
tain regions beyond. 

A favourite amusement with him was riding one 
of the spirited little horses that were to be had for 
hire up and down the steep hill roads. They were 


20 


ON THE WOELD’S EOOF 


usually polo ponies which had played their parts at 
that exciting and exhausting sport, and been sold 
by their owners to native livery-stables for what- 
ever price they would bring. One delicious evening, 
while Kent was trotting along over a beautiful bit 
of road a couple of miles from the tower, enjoying 
the pleasant gait of his pony and admiring the 
lovely landscape, that seemed to improve with every 
turn of the winding way, he overtook a lady out for 
her day’s ride, accompanied only by a native groom. 
Slie was mounted upon a grey Arab mare, that 
pulled at the bit and pranced about on the road 
in a way that betrayed a very high-strung and 
nervous nature. 

Kent, who had a pretty good knowledge of horses 
for a boy of his age, having spent his holidays with 
an uncle who kept a hunting-stable, was greatly 
taken with the lady’s mount. 

“ What a little beauty ! ” he exclaimed to himself, 
“ and how well she sits her ! But it seems to me 
she’d have a hard job stopping her if once she got 
the bit in her teeth. That duffer of a groom 
wouldn’t count for much then ; ” and he gave a 
contemptuous glance back at the groom, who was 
pounding along on a big “ waler ” that had evi- 
dently seen its best days some time ago. 

As he passed he saw that the lady was both 
young and pretty, and quickly made up his mind 


A TIMELY KESCUB 


21 


that she was the wife of some officer, summerin" 
at Simla, while her husband sweltered at his dreary 
post down on tlie plains. 

“ I wish I knew her,” he murmured regretfully. 
“ I’d like to challenge her to a little brush when we 
come to a straight bit of road.” 

He said this because he happened to be mounted 
upon a pony that had shown quite a turn of speed, 
and to have tried conclusions with the clever- 
looking Arab would have been just the thing to 
suit him that fine, cool evening. But, of course, 
he could not, under the circumstances, venture to 
propose such a thing; although it seemed to him, 
as he clattered by, and the curveting Arab showed 
signs of objection to being passed, his fair rider 
shot a bright glance at him that had a spark of 
challenge in it. 

He had gone on about a furlong, and had just 
decided to turn around to retrace his way, when 
the sharp rattle of hoofs beating hard and fast 
upon the rocky mountain road came to his ears, 
and looking back, he saw the grey Arab galloping 
towards him at the top of her speed, while her 
rider was evidently making a frantic but futile 
effort to rein her in. 

“The little vixen’s bolted!” exclaimed Kent. 
“And such a place for a runaway ! I must do my 
best to stop her, or the dear knows what’ll happen.” 


22 


ON THE WORLD'S ROOF 


His own pony, hearing the rapid hoof - beats, 
showed signs of excitement also, and knowing that 
if the Arab once got a good start of him he might 
be unable to catch up in time to be of any service, 
Kent gave him the rein, and in a moment he too 
was off at a gallop, with the runaway clattering 
behind. 

Having been over that part of the road before, 
Kent knew that, while it was good enough going 
for another half-mile or so, beyond that there were 
sharp turns and quick descents that could not fail 
to give trouble. 

" If I don’t stop her soon,” he murmured, “ she 
stands a good chance of breaking her neck.” 

Looking back, he saw that the flying Arab was 
rapidly overtaking him, for his pony was going at 
little more than half-speed, and his plan of action 
was promptly decided upon. 

A moment more and the runaway was up to 
him, her rider still tugging frantically at the reins, 
though her ghastly face and wide, staring eyes be- 
tokened how extreme was her terror. Kent, hur- 
riedly glancing over his shoulder, could see her lips 
move in appeal to him for help, although not a word 
was audible, and he nodded his head vigorously in 
response. 

As the Arab rushed past he pressed his own 
pony to her head, and leaning forward, by great 


A TIMELY RESCUE 2 $ 

good fortune succeeded in getting a grip of the 
right rein in his left hand 

Then began a struggle the like of which Kent 
had never taken part in before. Throwing himself 
back in his saddle, he strove to rein in the two 
galloping steeds simultaneously. Even had his own 
mount been entirely under control, this would have 
been no easy feat. But, as a matter of fact, the pony 
had caught the spirit of the Arab in some measure, 
and was disposed to keep right on, while the lady, 
w’ho seemed to be on the verge of fainting, let the rein 
go, and grasped the pommel of her saddle instead. 

Well was it then for Kent that he not only had 
the seat of a Centaur, but a strength of arm few 
boys of his years could equal. The two horses 
plunged and pressed against each other, bringing 
their riders in such close contact that Kent could 
have lilted the lady out of her saddle had he been 
equal to such an effort. As it was, he managed 
to steady her for a moment when it appeared as if 
she must fall off. 

Presently, however, his efforts began to tell. 
Hampered as they were by being crowded together, 
the horses had perforce to slacken speed. Their 
strides quickly shortened ; the pony began to pull 
up ; and at length, just before the dangerous por- 
tion of the road was reached, both pony and Arab 
came to a stop, blown, wearied, and conquered. 


24 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


Springing to the ground, Kent held out his arms 
to the lady, who, murmuring faintly, “ God bless 
you ; you’ve saved my life,” let herself slip from 
the saddle on to his shoulder, and instantly fainted 
dead away. 

“ Hello ! here’s a pretty go !” said Kent to hini- 
self, as he bore his helpless burden to the roadside 
and laid her down gently on a convenient bit of 
turf. What on earth am I to do now ? ” 

It certainly was a rather bewildering situation 
for a boy who had never been thrown much into 
the society of ladies, and consequently still felt 
somewhat ill at ease in their presence. Here he 
found himself wholly responsible for the care of 
a beautiful woman, to whom he was an entire 
stranger, and whose present need he hardly knew 
how to meet. 

The sound of heavy hoof -beats rapidly approach- 
ing was therefore welcome music to his ears, and 
when there appeared around the curve of the road 
a lady and gentleman cantering gaily homeward, it 
was a wonderful relief to him. 

Taking in the situation at a glance, the riders 
reined up, and the gentleman inquired anxiously, 
“ You’ve had an accident, I see. Is the lady 
seriously hurt ? ” 

“I don’t think she’s hurt at all, sir,” responded 
Kent. “She’s only fainted from fright.” 


A TIMELY RESCUE 


25 


" Ah, then, my dear,” said the gentleman, turn- 
ing to his companion, “ it is a case for you. Let 
me assist you to dismount;” and so saying, he 
sprang to the ground and lifted the lady ofif her 
horse. 

There was a spring of clear, cool water close by, 
and Kent having brought a capful of this, the lady 
bathed her unconscious sister’s face with it, and 
soon the latter opened her eyes again, looking about 
in a startled way, and murmuring — 

“ What a fright I’ve had ! ” and then turning to 
Kent, she said gratefully, “ You managed that 
splendidly. I would hardly have thought it pos- 
sible if you had not done it.” 

Kent blushed, and bowed his acknowledgment 
of the compliment, and soon conversation became 
general, during which time the groom lumbered 
up on his “waler,” his countenance full of concern, 
until he saw that neither his mistress nor her 
fractious steed had come to any harm. 

The Arab having quite calmed down again, his 
plucky mistress insisted on remounting, and the 
four new acquaintances rode back to Simla together, 
with the relieved groom bringing up the rear. 

Kent’s exploit, of course, was quickly noised 
throughout the place, and he found himself the 
object of a great deal of attention. The lady to 
whom he had rendered such timely service, *and 


26 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


who proved to be the young wife of Colonel 
Courtenay, of a famous Sikh regiment, was profuse 
in her proofs of giatitude, among other things in- 
sisting upon Kent accepting a gold locket of curious 
workmanship as a memento of the event. 

Having plenty of time on his hands — for his 
father had to overcome a good many difficulties 
in getting ready to start — Kent seized the oppor- 
tunity to get acquainted with the game of polo. 
After his gallant rescue of Mrs. Courtenay he need 
never lack for the use of a good polo pony, and he 
had lively times in the afternoon chasing the white 
wooden ball up and down the bit of plain that was 
utilised for a polo-ground. 

Then he had a chance to do some hunting, too, 
for good sport could be obtained without going very 
far from Simla. Indeed he there made his first 
acquaintance with real tiger-hunting, and the ex« 
perience was so thrilling as to quite satisfy his 
interest in the royal brute, for the time being at 
least. 

Eeports had been coming to Simla of the dread- 
ful doings of a man-eater, which had suddenly made 
its appearance on the edge of one of the valleys 
below, and carried off so many people as to threaten 
to depopulate what was a prosperous community. 
As soon as the gravity of the case became clear, 
a party was organised for the destruction of the 


A TIMELY RESCUE 


27 


monster, which Mr. Stannard, who had several 
tigers to his credit already, made haste to join. 
When Kent heard of it nothing would do but that 
he must be taken along also, and after considerable 
persuasion, he was allowed to have his own way, 
on condition that he contented himself with a safe 
place in the rear of the party when the hunt took 
place. 

The leader of the party was a Captain Inglis, who 
had won great renown as a tiger-slayer ; and with 
him, besides the Stannards, was a dashing young 
lieutenant and a member of the Viceroy’s staff. 
Half a score of servants accompanied them, and , 
they were fitted out with tents, supplies, and other 
baggage sufficient for their needs for a week, as 
they were determined not to return until they 
accomplished their beneficent purpose. 

The journey to the scene of the tiger’s bloody 
operations occupied a whole day, and Kent was 
sorely tired of riding under the hot sun by the 
time they went into camp for the night. 

Kent had never camped out in India before, and 
the novelty of the situation made it difficult for him 
to sleep. During the day the intense heat had 
made the dense woodlands through which their 
way led as silent and lonesome as if no living 
creature breathed in their dim recesses. But no 
sooner had the short twilight deepened into the 


28 


ON THE WORLDS ROOF 


gloom of night than the air, before vacant save for 
the wide sweeps of some solitary bird of prey, 
became filled with the voices of feathered flocks 
returning to their roosts. Flying foxes shot across 
the open vistas in the forest, and great horned owls 
swept past on muffled wings ; while to one peering 
eagerly into the dusk there appeared those spectral 
shapes that haunt such scenes, the confusing con- 
trasts of shade, the strange play of waving boughs 
and riyid tree-trunks, and the dimly discerned forms 
of animals moving stealthily from shadow to shadow. 

All this was familiar enough to the other mem- 
^ hers of the party, and not even the weird booming 
of the great rock-monkey, the hoarse bark of the 
sambur, nor the horrid half-laughing shriek of the 
hyena ruffled the placidity of their evening smoke, 
nor delayed the moment of their falling asleep 
But Kent lay awake until long past midnight, lis- 
tening to these strange noises, and now and then 
rising from his camp-bed to look out through the 
flaps of the tent to assure himself that the wild 
creatures were not investing the camp and pre- 
paring for a night attack, so furious did the chorus 
seem at times. 

At length, in sheer weariness, he dozed off, to 
dream of fleeing from a huge man-eater with caver- 
nous mouth and blazing eyes, bent upon claiming 
him for its next victim. 


CHAPTER III 

THE KILLING OF THE MAN-EATER 

It took another day’s riding to bring the hunting- 
party upon the scene of the man-eater’s depreda- 
tions, and when they camped that night they had 
many visitors, who brought accounts of the awful 
brute that fairly made Kent’s flesh creep. With 
eyes starting from their sockets and much Oriental 
extravagance of language, the panic-stricken natives 
described the tiger s tremendous size and terrifying 
appearance: how his great belly, into which so 
many of their dear ones had gone, almost touched 
the ground as he strode along ; how he had a dia- 
bolical way of holding up a party of wayfarers 
while he rolled himself playfully on the sand before 
them, and at last, inspecting them all around, care- 
fully chose the fattest for his victim. 

Not satisfied with such wonders as these, they 
went on to relate that this monster had the power 
of transforming himself into an innocent-looking 
wood-cutter, and of calling or whistling through 
the jungle until an unsuspecting victim approached ; 

29 


30 


ON THE world's ROOF 


while, finally, one wrinkled old villager capped 
the climax by gravely asserting that the spirits of 
all the man-( ater’s victims rode upon his head, 
forewarning him of every danger, and guiding 
him to the most favourable spot for ambushing an 
unwary traveller. 

Mr. Stannard and his companions, of course, paid 
no heed to these marvellous tales. They had been 
hearing similar ones ever since they began to hunt 
in India. But Kent, possessing a strong imagina- 
tion, and being, indeed, more willing to believe than 
to be sceptical, was deeply impressed by them. 
“ They’re greatly exaggerated, to be sure,” he said. 
“ But there must be some truth in them, all the 
same, and we’re bound to have a big fight before 
we’re done with the man-eater.” 

As soon as the news spread that the sahibs had 
come to rid the country of its dreadful pest the 
rejoicing people crowded in to offer assistance, or to 
be spectators of the operation, and the hunters had 
no difficulty in obtaining all the assistance in the 
way of native shikaris and beaters they required. 
They were also fortunate in being able to secure 
two elephants which had had some experience in 
hunting, and could be relied upon to maintain a 
firm front before the foe. 

At daybreak of the morning after their arrival 
on the field, word was brought that one of a party 


THE KILLING OF THE MAN-EATER 31 

of pilgrims, travelling unsuspectingly through a 
jungle road not far distant, had been carried oflP by 
the tiger. At once the command was given for the 
hunt to begin, and the elephants being harnessed, 
Mr. Stannard and Kent occupied one howdah, 
while Captain Inglis and Lieutenant Fordyce had 
the other. 

Captain Inglis, having had the most experience 
in tiger-hunting, naturally took command, and from 
the way he disposed his forces it was quite evident 
that he thoroughly understood his work. 

It was still early in the morning when they 
reached the scene of the last tragedy. The unfor- 
tunate pilgrim had been struck down where a small 
ravine crossed the lonely road. There, lying in 
a dried-up pool of blood, they found the shoulder- 
stick with its pendent baskets, in which he had 
been carrying the holy- water from his place of 
pilgrimage, while shreds of cotton sticking to the 
bushes showed where he had been dragged down 
into the bed of the nullah. 

Kent turned sick at the sight. It was the first 
time he had ever been brought so close to death 
by violence, and his heart went out in passionate 
sympathy for the poor Hindoo thus foully mur- 
dered. But quickly upon this sense of sickness 
and of sympathy followed the burning desire for 
retribution, for revenge upon the abominable man- 


32 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


eater ; and from the bottom of his heart Kent hoped 
that he might have the chance of putting at least 
one bullet into that striped body, even though it 
should not be the fatal one. 

“ I hope Captain Inglis won’t have it all to 
himself,” he said to his father as they remounted 
their elephant, “ and that you and I will be able 
to get in a shot before it’s all over.” 

“ I hope so too, Kent,” responded Mr. Stannard, 
whose own heart had been deeply stirred by the 
pitiful sight. “ But we mustn’t run any unneces- 
sary risks, however strongly we feel, and we must 
do exactly what Captain Inglis says.” 

The track of the destroyer was easily followed 
into a very thick grass cover, where he had broken 
up and devoured the greater part of the body. 
Some shreds of flesh, and the skull, hands, and feet, 
were all that remained. Thence the trail led into 
a dense jungle on the river- bank, through which 
the trackers worked in fear and trembling, covered 
by Captain Inglis’ rifle, as his elephant trod in their 
footsteps. 

At the river the pugs (footprints) went out on a 
long sand-pit, showing how the tiger had refreshed 
himself with a good drink after his horrid meal, 
and then they came back to be lost amid a great 
mass of rocks full of caverns and crannies. A 
day’s hard work was spent searching in this locality 


THE KILLING OF THE MAN-EATER 33 

without avail, and at sunset the hunters returned 
to camp, much disappointed at their lack of success. 

But if they had nothing to show for their toils, 
the object of their eager quest was in better case so 
far as he was concerned ; for they had hardly sat 
down to dinner when a carrier came rushing in to 
report that one of his company had been taken out 
of the middle of their train of bullocks by the tiger 
just as they were going into camp for the night. 

Of course nothing could be done that night, but 
oh, how impatiently every member of the party 
longed for the return of daylight ! After a hasty 
breakfast the start was made, and soon they came 
upon the tiger’s track and the remains of his last 
hideous butchery. 

“*We must have him to-day at all hazards,” ex- 
claimed Captain Inglis, looking down at the half- 
eaten body of the ill-starred carrier. “ This is awful 
work.” 

The elephants were pushed ahead at as rapid a 
pace as the nature of the ground permitted. There 
was difficulty in following the destroyer’s trail. He 
had gone down the nullah some distance and then 
turned off into the grass, and finally made his way 
into a dense jungle of jaman and tamarisk in the 
bed and on the banks of a small river. 

“ If I’m not much mistaken, we’ll find our friend 
here,” said Captain Inglis, after a survey of the 

0 


34 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


ground. " We’ve been driving him pretty hard. 
He must be longing for a rest, and this is as 
good a place as he could wish for water and 
shade.” 

The trackers were accordingly sent out to circle 
the cover, and in the course of an hour they 
returned with the gratifying intelligence that there 
was no sign of the tiger having left the jungle, 
and without doubt he had been cornered at last. 

The heat of the day, the best time for the grim 
business before them, was near at hand, and without 
delay Captain Inglis arranged his order of attack. 
The cover was completely surrounded by a circle 
of beaters, and look-outs placed in commanding 
positions in the trees, who were instructed at a 
given signal to make all the noise of which they 
were capable. Then, having posted the elephant 
upon which Mr. Stannard and Kent were at the 
only point where the tiger could easily get up the 
high bank and make off, the veteran hunter pushed 
his own elephant, which was well used to this sort 
of work, slowly and carefully into the dense cover. 

The air was scorching hot, and utterly still save 
for the soft footfalls of the elephant and the whir- 
ring of wings as peafowl rose in alarm before the 
advance of the huge creatures. Hear the centre 
the jungle grew extremely dense, and its bottom 
was cut up into a number of water-channels among 


THE KILLING OF THE MAN-EATER 35 

the tough roots and overhanging branches of the 
tamarisk. 

Sitting up in the howdah with his rifle held 
ready for instant use, and watching as far as he 
could the progress of Captain Inglis, it seemed to 
Kent as though the loud beating of his heart must 
be as audible as the tones of a bell. He dare not 
speak to his father, who stood erect, gazing fixedly 
into the dim obscurity of the jungle. The one 
thought in his mind was, “Which way will the 
tiger come ? and will I have any chance to fire at 
him?” 

Presently Captain Inglis’ shrewd old elephant 
paused and began to kick the earth, and to utter 
the low, tremulous sound by which it would indicate 
the close presence of the fierce quarry so eagerly 
sought. 

“ I see him ! ” exclaimed the keen-eyed mahout, 
who, being lower down on the elephant’s neck 
than his master, was in a better position to peer 
into the fateful gloom. “He’s lying under that 
jaman bush.” 

Captain Inglis could not make him out, but, to 
prove the accuracy of the mahout’s vision, directed 
his companion to throw a stone into the bush, a 
number of such missiles having been provided for 
the purposa 

Lieutenant Fordyce, with the skill of an expert 


36 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


cricketer, threw a large stone into the precise spot, 
and instantly the man-eater rose up with an angry 
roar, and sprang to meet the daring intruders on his 
privacy. The sight of him when he emerged from 
the shade of the jaman bush was sufficient to try 
the stoutest nerve. Not even Captain Tnglis had ever 
seen one of larger size, and as he stood his ground 
for an instant, the personification of merciless fury, 
^nd the white moon on the top of his broad fore- 
head seemed to shine in the sun, while the bristles 
stuck out from his mighty jaws like barbs of steel, 
it was no wonder that the mahout shrank back 
against the howdah trembling like an aspen-leaf, 
and Lieutenant Fordyce felt cold chills running 
down his spine. 

Yet not a fibre in Captain Inglis’ body quivered 
as he covered the terrible creature with his double- 
barrelled rifle, and had not his elephant given a 
sudden start, no doubt the doom of the man-eater 
would at that moment have been sealed. 

As it was, the first ball found its way to the 
tiger’s shoulder, and the second caught him in the 
belly as he sprang convulsively aside. But neither 
shot was fatal, and, growling horribly, the mad- 
dened brute broke away in the direction of Mr. 
Stannard and Kent. 

Never will the latter forget that moment. The 
tiger had evidently counted upon escaping by the 


THE KILLING OF THE MAN-EATER 37 

way which their elephant, thanks to Captain Tnglis’ 
foresight, blocked, and this interference with his 
plans seemed, if possible, to intensify his fury. 

On he came, death and destruction speaking 
from every hair of his great striped body, and Mr. 
Stannard could hardly be blamed for the tremor of 
nerve that caused his arm to swerve sufficiently to 
send the bullet into the tiger’s jaw instead of right 
between his glaring eyes, as he had intended. 

For a moment the brute was checked. But it 
was only for a moment. Shaking his head savagely, 
he sprang forward again, and, seized with panic, the 
elephant whirled about, thereby so disconcerting 
Mr. Stannard that he let his second barrel go off 
harmlessly into the jungle. 

The next instant a horrid worrying sound be- 
hind, and the wild plunging of the elephant, made 
it clear that the tiger’s last spring had carried him 
within striking distance of his foes. 

Fire at him, Kent, for Heaven’s sake ! ” cried 
Mr. Stannard excitedly. “ My rifle is empty.” 

The huge head of the tiger, dripping with its 
own blood, was now only six feet from Kent, and 
as his father spoke, the boy, barely knowing what 
he did, leaned forward, and thrusting the muzzle 
of his rifle almost into the ravening mouth, pulled 
the trigger. 

As it proved, Captain Inglis himself could 


ON THE WORLD’S RO )F 


38 

hardly have done better. The bullet craslied 
through the roof of the tiger’s mouth into his 
brain, and, losing its hold upon the elephant, the 
lifeless body fell heavily to the ground. 

The whole thing had been so startling that for 
a moment Kent stood silent and motionless. The 
mad leap of the tiger, that awful gory head coming 
so close to the howdah that the foul breath tainted 
the air, the quick thrust of the rifle into that yawn- 
ing cavern of death, and then the crack of the 
rifle and the sudden collapse of the appalling 
monster — was it all a wild dream ? 

A hearty thump on the back brought him to 
himself, and he heard his father exclaiming — 
“Splendidly done, my boy! You gave him the 
coup de grace in fine style.” And then turning to 
Captain Inglis, who had hurried up on his elephant, 
“ That was not at all bad for a boy, was it ? ” 

“ No, indeed,” replied the veteran hunter cor- 
dially. “I congratulate you heartily, Kent. My 
bullets were bound to kill him in time, but he 
needed another to quicken the business. Did yours 
find him anywhere?” he added, looking to Mr. 
Stannard. 

“ Unless my eyes played me false, it found him 
somewhere about the head,” answered Mr. Stan- 
nard. “ Let us look him over and see.” 

The beaters by this time had gathered around 


THE KILLING OF THE MAN-EATER 39 

and begun their chorus of rejoicings over the death 
of their enemy, giving vent to their feelings in 
showers of opprobrious epithets and grossly in- 
sulting insinuations as to the family history of 
their fallen foe. 

On examination it was found that either of the 
wounds inflicted by Captain Inglis* bullets would 
have been sufficient to kill any other animal than 
a tiger, which seems to have quite as many lives as 
the proverbial cat (of which it is, after all, only an 
enlarged specimen), and that Mr. Stannard’s shot 
had taken effect on the right side of the lower 
jaw. 

Lieutenant Fordyce was therefore the only 
member of the party who could not claim a share 
in the triumph over the man-eater, and he was 
wise enough, instead of taking that to heart, to 
content himself with congratulating the others 
upon their good fortune. 

Great was the gratitude of the natives to the 
sahibs at their being freed from the monster whose 
depredations had during the past year rendered a 
whole district almost uninhabitable, and closed up 
the roads previously much frequented by travellers. 

Kent was so impressed by the importance given 
to the affair that he began to cherish thoughts of 
becoming a white shikari, and making a speciality 
of tiger-slaying. It seemed to him a career com- 


40 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


bining entertainment for oneself and benefit to 
others in a unique maimer. 

On the return of the party to Simla their suc- 
cessful exploit was the talk of the place, and Kent 
came in for a lot of hand-shaking and warm words 
of praise, which he found very pleasant indeed. 
But, Mr. Stannard’s preparations being nearly com- 
plete, the social attractions of Simla had to be 
disregarded in order that the final arrangements 
for the journey to the heights might be hurried 
through with. By the first of June everything 
was in readiness, and, having bidden “ good-bye ” 
to their many friends and received their good wishes 
for a prosperous trip, the little party set forth upon 
its adventures. It comprised some thirty persons 
in all, of whom, however, only two besides Mr. 
Stannard and Kent require special mention, the 
others being merely coolies to carry the provisions 
and baggage. These two were rather remarkable 
characters in their way. They were to act as the 
personal attendants of the two sahibs, and Mr. 
Stannard had taken the utmost pains in their 
selection. Standing side by side they presented 
a striking contrast. 

“ They’re the long and short of it,” Mr. Stannard 
said, laughing, when he first introduced them to 
Kent. 

Chunna Lai was a splendid specimen of a Sikh, 


THE KILLING OF THE MAN-BARTER 4 1 

His stature exceeded six feet, and his frame was 
one mass of bone and sinew, without an ounce of 
superfluous flesh. He had a handsome, honest 
countenance, adorned by a moustache and beard of 
raven hue, which he sedulously cultivated. His 
skin was of a dark olive tint, and his big black 
eyes looked out upon the world with a frank, 
fearless gaze that seemed to say, ‘‘ Kespect me as I 
respect myself.” He was Mr. Stannard’s attendant, 
and was to act as butler or steward, if such a term 
could be applied under the circumstances. He had 
already been through a good part of the country it 
was proposed to traverse, and had a knowledge of 
the people and their different dialects that would be 
of immense value. 

His associate in service, a Goorkha named 
Bahadur Kanwar, was so ridiculously dissimilar 
that the warm friendship soon established between 
them certainly could not be explained upon the 
principle that like likes like. A scant five feet 
was the most that Bahadur could claim in height. 
But what he lacked in this direction he made a 
noble attempt to atone for in the other. So broad 
and sturdy was he that the activity he could 
display when necessary was a constant surprise to 
the Stannards. In him were strangely united the 
strength of a bull and the agility of a monkey. 
At first glance his countenance seemed rather re- 


42 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


pellent, so strongly marked were his features, so 
small and sharp his eyes, and so swarthy his skin. 
But once he smiled all doubt as to his character 
vanished. Genuine good humour twinkled in every 
line of his rugged face. He could, it was true, be 
capable of fearful outbreaks of temper, and at such 
times be transformed into a veritable demon. Such 
occasions, however, were extremely rare, and there 
was little probability of the fury ever being aroused 
by Mr. Stannard or Kent. It would be those who 
might attempt to do them wrong or injury that 
would call it forth. Bahadur was a capital cook, 
therefore the duty of preparing the meals devolved 
upon him; and he evidently took both pride and 
pleasure in his work, while the Stannards had 
good reason to be well satisfied with the menu he 
managed to prepare for them out of wonderfully 
simple materials. 

Of course Kent could not think of calling these 
two men by the names that respectively belonged 
to them. In true schoolboy fashion, he must needs 
find some easier appellation ; and so, after much 
activity of mind, he succeeded in evolving some- 
thing to his satisfaction. The stalwart Sikh he 
called Champ, being short for champion, the man 
being the finest specimen of a native he had so far 
seen; while to the sturdy Goorkha was appended 
the appropriate nickname of Bunty. Both men took 


THE KILLING OF THE MAN-EATEK 43 

quite kindly to Kent’s revision of their cognomens, 
for only he used the new titles, and they evidently 
looked upon him with great favour from the very 
start. 

Such were the principal members of the little 
party whose adventures and experiences amid the 
most mighty and mysterious of mountain ranges on 
this globe have now to be related. 


CHAPTER IV 

INTO THE MIDST OF THE MOUNTAINS 

Mr. Stannard and Kent, with Champ and Bunty, 
rode shaggy, sure-footed mountain ponies, but the 
baggage- bearers went on foot. The rule, therefore, 
was to start them off a couple of hours in advance, 
and to follow them in a leisurely fashion. 

Anything like speedy progress was not to he 
considered. The “ Great Hindustan and Thibet 
Road,” as was its high-sounding designation, proved 
to be nothing more than a cut bridle-path leading 
along the sides of the hills from Simla to the Kar- 
kunda Ghaut, and from Narkunda up the valley of 
the Sutlej to Chini and Pangay. 

Although its difficulties were nothing in com- 
parison to what were to follow, Kent, who was 
having his first experience of mountain - riding, 
found the strain on his nerves pretty heavy for the 
first few days. The road, which was never more 
than eight feet broad, and often narrower, had no 
parapet or railing of any kind, although it climbed 

across the face of enormous precipices and well- 

44 


INTO THE MIDST OF THE MOUNTAINS 45 

nigh precipitous slopes, where a fall meant inevi- 
table death. 

Bunty and Champ, who had both traversed it 
several times, were at pains to tell Kent of the 
fatal accidents which had taken place, and to de- 
scribe graphically just how they had occurred. 

Thus, the young daughter of the missionary at 
Kotgarb had been riding across the tremendous 
Kogi cliffs, when the pony shied at a stone that 
came rolling down in front of it, and sprang into 
the merciless abyss to instant death. 

In another case, on the way between Serahan 
and Taranda, a Mr. Leith, who was on his wedding 
trip, with his bride following close beside him, in 
trying to cure his steed of a provoking way it had 
of rubbing against the rough rock wall, caused it to 
back towards the precipice, and its hind feet going 
over, it could not recover itself, and both horse and 
rider were dashed to pieces. 

Mr. Stannard, not to be outdone, told how a 
judge of the Supreme Court, who, in company with 
some ladies, was passing along this road, lost his 
life through his horse starting at a strange-looking 
mountaineer, who suddenly appeared round a sharp 
turn of the cliff. The animal held on for some 
time with its fore-legs, long enough for an agile 
rider to have disengaged himself from the saddle. 
But the judge was stout and slow of movement. 


46 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


and, moreover, seemed paralysed with fear, so that 
he could do nothing to save himself. 

It need hardly be said that these mournful re- 
lations did not tend to put Kent at his ease, and 
he gave such attention to the direction of his pony 
that the creature showed signs of restiveness, which 
being noticed by Mr. Stannard, he called back, 
‘ Give him his head, Kent ; give him his head. 
Don’t try to keep a tight rein on him. He knows 
the way better than you do.” 

Taking his father’s advice, Kent let the reins 
hang loose, and all went well until they reached 
the Narkunda Ghaut, where the road rose nearly 
ten thousand feet above sea-level, and from its 
narrow shelf one could look down a vast distance 
into the gloomy abyss of the Sutlej valley. Here, 
at one of the very worst bits of the road, where by 
necessity the little party was strung out in single 
file, a big monkey, disturbed by Mr. Stannard’s 
horse, sprang across the way right in front of 
Kent’s pony, and before fleeing up the face of 
the cliff, paused for an instant to make hideous 
grimaces and shrill gibbering cries at the in- 
truders upon its peace and privacy. 

Hitherto Kent’s pony, a sturdy little mare, as 
sure-footed as a mountain goat, had borne herself 
with most commendable composure in the face of 
falling rocks and other excuses for a sudden shy. 


INTO THE MIDST OF THE MOUNTAINS 47 

But the sight and sound of the monkey proved too 
severe a trial for her nerves, and backing quickly 
away from the ugly creature, she got her hind-legs 
over the edge of the road, at this point utterly 
undefended by a parapet or railing. 

Eealising his peril in an instant, Kent flung 
himself forward on his pony’s neck, crying, “ Help ! 
father, help ! I’m going over ! ” 

Mr. Stannard, who was about ten yards ahead, 
at once tried to turn his horse to get to his son’s 
aid, but the animal, hearing the noises behind with- 
out understanding what they meant, became fright- 
ened in its turn, so that, instead of obeying him, it 
took the bit in its teeth and hurried off in spite of 
his frantic tugging at the reins. 

So soon as he saw that he could not control the 
horse, Mr. Stannard flung himself off, and ran back 
at the top of his speed. But if Kent had had to 
depend upon him alone for rescue his case had 
been hopeless. 

His wiry pony fought desperately for life, cling- 
ing to the edge of the road with her fore-feet as 
though they were hands, and digging her hind- 
feet into the side of the cliff. She maintained her 
position in this way long enough for Kent to have 
disengaged himself from the saddle had not his 
right foot got caught in the stirrup-leather, so that 
he could not instantly free himself. 


48 


ON THE world's ROOF 


Another moment and it would have been all 
over with him, but, happily, before that moment 
passed the Sikh interposed. Springing from his 
horse, he rushed towards Kent, crying out, “ Hold 
on. Sahib ! I pull you up.” 

When he came to him he reached down his long 
arm, and catching Kent by the collar of his coat, 
drew him up beside him as though he had been a 
mere child instead of a well-grown lad. It was a 
marvellous feat of strength, and even in the midst 
of his awful peril the wonder of it filled Kent’s 
heart. 

Nor was the giant content with this. Believed 
from her rider’s weight, the pony still struggled 
bravely against the pitiless rocks, and having set 
Kent upon his feet. Champ proceeded to render a 
like service to his steed. Bending down, he grasped 
the reins close to her mouth, and then throwing him- 
self back, dragged the little creature, who cleverly 
helped all she could, up on the road again, where 
she stood trembling and exhausted, but otherwise 
none the worse for her narrow escape. 

By this time Mr. Stannard had come up, and 
thiowing his left arm about Kent in a glad embrace, 
held out his right hand to the Sikh, exclaiming, 
God bless you, Chunna Lai ! But for you I’d have 
no son to-day. Your splendid strength was never 
put to better purpose.” 


INTO THE MIDST OF THE MOUNTAINS 


49 


Looking as composed as though nothing remark- 
able had just taken place, the Sikh gave his hand 
modestly, saying, “ That’s all right. Sahib. Bad 
pony to be frightened by monkey ; mustn’t do that 
again.” 

Kent, on his part, hardly knew how to express 
his gratitude, but he managed somehow to say 
enough to make clear to his rescuer how deeply he 
felt, and in his mind he registered a resolve never 
to forget the timely service. 

Being afraid to remount his own pony after this 
proof of its readiness to shy, Kent exchanged with 
the Goorkha, who had a slow, steady animal, which 
could be implicitly trusted, and who, on his part, 
was quite willing to take the more lively little 
mare. 

Farther on the road, when they were resting for 
the evening at the Serahan bungalow, Kent had the 
opportunity of seeing for himself the fate from 
which Champ’s strong arms had delivered him. 
They had just finished dinner, and were sitting in 
front of the bungalow, Mr. Stannard enjoying his 
pipe, and Kent idly throwing pebbles at the dogs 
that hung about, when Mr. Stannard drew his son’s 
attention to some hill-men who were chasing each 
other on the grassy brow of a precipice that rose 
above the road leading to Gawraa. 

“ That seems dangerous sport these fellows are 

D 


50 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


having up there,” Mr. Stannard said, eyeing them 
with interest. “ But I suppose they know what 
they’re about.” 

He had hardly spoken when one of the men, in 
trying to evade the hot pursuit of a companion, 
lost his footing, slipped on the edge of the cliff, 
and then, with a shrill cry, that pierced far down 
into the valley beneath, plunged over the precipice, 
striking the road hundreds of feet below with an 
awful thud, and bouncing off to fall still farther 
into the rocky ravine. 

Kent shuddered and shut his eyes at the sight. 
It made him so sick and faint that for the moment 
the power of speech or motion seemed gone from 
him. 

But his father, springing up and thrusting his 
pipe into his pocket, started off, crying, “ Come 
along, Kent, and see if the poor fellow’s killed.” 

Kent, glad to be of service if possible, hurried 
after his father. They had some difficulty in reach- 
ing the spot where the unfortunate hill-man lay, and, 
as Mr. Stannard fully expected, found him beyond 
all human aid. Strange to say the body showed 
no signs of a bruise. There was blood in the 
mouth and nostrils, but otherwise no indication 
even of the cause of death. Kent wondered very 
much at this, but his father explained it by saying 
that no doubt the man became insensible during 


INTO THE MIDST OF THE MOUNTAINS §1 

his fearful fall, and so offered no resistance when 
he struck the road, contact with which had, of 
course, knocked every particle of life out of him. 

As he looked at the inanimate body, which but 
a few minutes before had been so full of life and 
energy, Kent naturally thought how narrowly he 
had escaped a like death. 

“ 0 father ! ” he exclaimed, with a shudder, 
‘ that's just what would have become of me if 
Champ had not saved me, isn't it ? How thankful 
I ought to be that nothing happened me ! ” 

“ You may well say so, Kent,” responded Mr. 
Stannard, laying his hand affectionately upon Kent's 
shoulder, while he regarded him with looks of love 
and pride. “ I’m afraid I’ve not been wise in taking 
you with me on this wild trip and exposing you to 
such dangers.” 

“ Now, don't say that, father,” said Kent plead- 
ingly. “ It is very good of you to let me come, 
and I’m just as safe with you as I could be any- 
where else ; and when there are only the two of us 
out here, and I’ve been away from you so long, 
it would have been cruel to have gone off with- 
out me.” 

Kent’s reasoning was so sound, and it so thoroughly 
fell in with Mr. Stannard’s own inclinations, that 
there was no need of continuing the argument. For 
better or worse, through fair weather and foul, in 


52 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


journeyings far and perils many, they would be in- 
separable companions, to the great content of both. 

The road along which they made steady if not 
very rapid progress presented an ever -changing 
panorama of wonderful beauty and grandeur. Now 
they would be brought face to face with a mighty 
peak, clothed in eternal snow, soaring twenty 
thousand feet into the clear, cold air ; and then they 
would be gazing down into a dark gorge so deep 
that the head reeled at the sight. From time to 
time they would come upon Himalayan hamlets 
hidden on the lower slope of the tremendous moun- 
tains, perched upon bare ridges of rock, or placed 
beside green meadows with enormous deodar-trees, 
giving them shade from the burning sun. 

The trees of the Sutlej valley were remarkable 
for their size and beauty ; and Mr. Stannard was 
continually calling Kent’s attention to a graceful 
weeping fir or a sky-piercing “ silver pine.” But 
grandest of all were the deodars, the cedars, which 
sometimes attained a girth of forty feet, and towered 
two hundred feet or more above the scanty soil that 
seemed so poor a support for so glorious a growth. 
With their straight stems, their graceful pendent 
branches covered by a work of Virginia creepers 
and clematis blooming generously, they certainly 
were worthy of the travellers* warmest admiration. 

At Panguay, where there was a large, comfortable 


INTO THE MIDST OF THE MOUNTAINS 53 

buugalow, Mr. Stannard halted for a day or two in 
order to rearrange his party ; for here the Hindo- 
stan and Thibet road, so far as it was a pathway 
upon which any labour had bjen expended, came 
to an end, and henceforth not even the hardy, sure- 
footed hill-ponies could be relied upon. It was 
necessary to secure some additional bearers, and 
especially a dandy on which Kent could be carried 
when the fatigue of foot-travel proved too much 
for his strength. 

At the bungalow they met a couple of English 
travellers who had set forth from Panguay the 
week before, intending to go as far as Shipld, and 
possibly a little way into Thibet if permitted to do 
so. But they had found the difficulties of travel so 
much worse than their expectations that they had 
to confess themselves beaten, and to return without 
accomplishing any part of their programme. Natu- 
rally enough they sought to dissuade Mr. Stannard 
from proceeding. 

“ It’s the most abominable apology for a path you 
ever imagined,” protested one of them. “You’ve 
just got to hang on by your eyelids in lots of 
p].aces.” 

“ Oh, I know how bad it is ; I’ve been over it 
before,” responded Mr. Stannard, with a serene 
smile. 

“ Well, you must be fond of hard work,” retorted 


54 


ON THE WORLD^S ROOF 


the other, looking Mr. Stannard over as though he 
was trying to understand him. “ One experience 
of a road like that ought to satisfy anybody for a 
lifetime ; but there’s no accounting for taste.” 

Having been discomfited themselves, the officers 
would no doubt have found satisfaction in persuad- 
ing Mr. Stannard to turn back without even making 
the venture; but they did not know their man. 
He was not one to give up a purpose fully deter- 
mined upon at the urging of another. If he did 
not make his way to Shipki, and thence into 
Thibet, it would be because he could not accom- 
plish it himself, not because somebody else had 
failed. 

It was near the end of the month of June when, 
the preparations being completed, the journey was 
resumed. Henceforth they would have no bunga- 
lows to rest in at the end of each stage, and as 
it would not be prudent to sleep in any of the 
native huts, they took with them two small tents 
especially adapted to their needs. One of them 
Mr. Stannard and Kent could occupy, and the 
other would be shared by Bunty and Champ. As 
for the coolies, they looked after themselves, build- 
ing big fires at night and curling up close to them, 
like so many dogs. 

Kent took very kindly to the idea of tenting; 
it was so much more romantic than spending the 


INTO THE MIDST OF THE MOUNTAINS 55 

nights in the gloomy stone bungalows. But before 
they had got far on their way he began to long for 
the bungalow again, the wild winds of the Hima- 
layas rendering a canvas tent anything but an 
adequate shelter from their buffeting. 

The roughness of the road defied description ; it 
required the exercise of the utmost faculties of head 
and foot to get over it safely. 

On the way to Jangi the remains of a granite 
avalanche were encountered that it took an im- 
mense amount of trouble to pass. For a great 
distance the whole mountain-side was covered with 
huge blocks of gneiss and granite, over which the 
travellers had to scramble as best they could. 

Nor was this the most trying feature of their 
situation. Where so many rocks had fallen, it 
was quite reasonable to suppose that there were 
others yet to come down, and the ever-present 
possibility of some huge boulder high above them 
taking the notion of charging down upon them, 
made the passage of the avalanche ddhris quite a 
serious business. 

The most critical point of the crossing was where 
they had to get round the corner of a giddy preci- 
pice by means of two long poles that rested on a 
niche, and were there met by two similar poles 
coming from the other side which were on a lower 
level, and therefore more difficult to connect with. 


56 ON THE world’s ROOF 

Mr. Stannard and the Goorkha went round with- 
out difficulty, but when it came to Kent’s turn, 
he, for the first time, got so dizzy that he could 
not proceed. He was just at the corner, and in 
spite of his father’s injunctions to “ keep cool ” and 
“come along,” he dropped upon the poles, and 
clung to them desperately, not daring either to 
advance or retreat. 


CHAPTEE V 

AN EXTKAORDINAHY STEED 

Kent’s situation was as curious as it was perilous. 
Neither his father nor the servants could go to 
him, because the pole-bridge was too frail to bear 
two persons at the same time, and it seemed as 
if they would have to confine their efforts in his 
behalf to shouting at him, when a bright idea 
sprang into Bunty’s brain. 

Snatching off his turban, he proceeded to un- 
wind it with eager haste. In a trice it became a 
long band of linen that would easily reach to where 
Kent hung helplessly. Tying a stone tightly into 
one end, he threw it to Kent, crying, “ You catch 
it. Sahib. Me pull you along,” 

After a couple of misses Kent caught the stone- 
weighted turban, and drew it tight. 

“ Now you hold on. Sahib,” enjoined the Goorkha. 
“ You come along all right.” 

It was wonderful the difference it made to Kent, 
having the turban in his hand. His attack of 
dizziness was due to fatigue and long exposure to 

57 


ON THE WOKLD’S ROOF 


58 

the blinding sun while toiling over the broken 
granite, and the confidence the sense of connection 
with the other side of the difficult crossing inspired 
was sufficient to banish his temporary weakness. 

“ That’s splendid, Bunty,” he said, brightening up. 
“ J ust keep it taut and I’ll get along first-rate.” 

Stepping firmly but carefully, he soon accom- 
plished the remainder of the passage, and stood 
at his father’s side. 

“Please don’t think me a baby, father,” he 
pleaded, laying his hand on Mr. Stannard’s arm. 
“It was not that I was frightened, but I was 
dreadfully tired, and my head suddenly seemed 
to go so that I did not dare take another step. 
I won’t make such a goose of myself again in a 
hurry, I promise you.” 

“ I quite understood how it was, Kent,” replied 
his father tenderly. “I’ve worked you too hard 
to-day, I know, but I was anxious to get across 
this abominable place as soon as possible. How- 
ever, we’ve passed the worst of it now, and we’ll 
camp at the first good place we come to.” 

The Goorkha was warmly praised for his clever 
expedient, and this put him in great spirits. 

“ You and me even now,” said he exultingly to 
Champ. “You help young Sahib, I help young 
Sahib. Both of us help young Sahib. That’s 
all right, eh ? ” 


AN EXTRAORDINARY STEED 59 

Champ nodded a dignified assent, and Bunty 
tossed his head as though to say, “What a fine 
pair of fellows we are, to be sure ! ” 

At Jangi they found a charming camping-place, 
in a fine grove of walnuts and edible pines. There 
was a small village close by, in which was a Lama 
temple that contained an automatic prayer -mill, 
which interested Kent greatly. 

He had already seen the ordinary prayer-wheels, 
small brass affairs which were to he held in the 
hand, and turned from left to right by an axle 
passing through the centre. But here was some- 
thing that surpassed them all — a huge thing some 
eight feet in diameter, made of bronze, and so con- 
structed that a stream of water falling upon it kept 
it turning continually. As each revolution meant 
not merely one but ever so many repetitions of the 
great Lama prayer, “ Om ma ni 'pad tna hown,'' and 
this doing it by deputy was considered quite as 
efficacious as personal pleading, the present and 
eternal advantages of such an arrangement were 
easily apparent. 

When he understood the whole thing Kent was 
much tickled, although he courteously concealed 
his amusement from the eyes of their guide, a 
young Lama, who had over a million prayers 
reeled off while they stood about the machine. 

As they came away from the temple Kent said 


6o 


ON THE world's ROOF 


to his father, with a quizzical smile, “Wouldn't 
these prayer-wheels be a fine thing for the boys at 
school? Instead of saying their own prayers at 
night, when they’re so tired and in a hurry to get 
to bed, they would just give the wheel a couple of 
turns, and then turn in themselves with a clear 
conscience.” 

“ 0 Kent, my son ! ” said his father, “ how can 
we be sufficiently grateful for the fuller light that 
we have in this all-important matter ? To think 
of men intelligent enough to pray to God at all 
being so foolish as to imagine that He can be 
reached by machine-made prayers ! And yet I’m 
afraid that only too many Christian prayers are 
hardly less mechanical, so we mustn’t boast our- 
selves.” 

Beside the big prayer-wheel, the Jangi Temple 
contained Thibetan inscriptions and paintings of 
Chinese devils that showed the travellers were 
passing from the region of the Hindoo into that 
of the Mongol. Henceforward the people they 
would meet would be almost entirely Thibetan. 
Not a change for the better in any way, but one 
to which they had to become accustomed. 

The next day’s journey seemed a comparatively 
lazy one after the dangers and difficulties of the 
preceding ones. It took them away from the 
Sutlej valley, which they were only too glad to 


AN EXTRAOKDINAKY STEED 6 1 

leave, up the right bank of the Teti river, and so 
on to Lippe, a large village, near which they camped 
for the night. 

Here Bunty, who was a great admirer of the 
fair sex, got himself into a bit of a scrape by 
showing some attention to an almond-eyed, chubby- 
faced woman whom he happened to encounter as 
she was returning from herding a flock of goats. 
An old ram was giving her some trouble, and 
Bunty gallantly going to her assistance, she seemed 
so appreciative of his services that he was em- 
boldened to make advances. He could make 
himself understood pretty well in her dialect, and 
they were getting along famously, when her hus- 
band appeared upon the scene, the incarnation of 
the green-eyed monster. 

He at once began to shower abuse upon his wife, 
which proceeding roused Bunty’s quick temper to 
such a pitch that, springing upon him, he caught 
him by the shoulders and shook him until he had 
completely shaken the breath out of him, and for 
very lack of it the fellow had perforce to cease 
his tirade, while the woman vanished, leaving the 
"oats to take care of themselves. ' 

The man, having recovered from his flrst sur- 
prise, now turned upon Bunty, and there was every 
prospect of a first-class fight ensuing, which might 
have ended in a disastrous appeal to weapons, 


62 ON THE WOKLD's ROOF 

when Mr. Stannard opportunely appeared on the 
scene. 

Without waiting to ask any questions he called 
out, “ Hello ! what are you about there ? Stop 
that instantly,” and laid a restraining hand upon 
each of the angry men. 

They instantly let go their hold of one another, 
for the Sahib’s commands carried unquestionable 
authority, but stood glaring furiously, in evident 
eagerness to press the matter to an issue. 

Taking it for granted that his servant was in 
some way to blame, Mr. Stannard then asked for 
explanations, whereupon both men started talking 
at a tremendous rate, each endeavouring to shout 
down the other. The din was appalling, and 
quickly attracted a crowd, who gathered around in 
evident enjoyment of the excitement. 

With much difficulty Mr. Stannard succeeded 
in getting both sides of the story, and then set 
himself to restore peace. It seemed that the 
indignant husband was the chief man of the 
village, and the woman his young wife, only lately 
espoused, of whom he was more than ordinarily 
jealous. Mr. Stannard therefore thought it ex- 
pedient to offer an apology on behalf of his retainer, 
the Goorkha having flatly refused to do it himself, 
and to salve the official’s feelings by a present of 
some good cigars, whereby he was entirely mollified. 


AN EXTRAOEDINARY ST1':ED 


63 


To Bunty, after the whole thing had blown over, 
he administered a lecture, threatening to send him 
back if he got into further trouble, as it was of 
the utmost importance that they should maintain 
Iriendly relations with the people along the route. 

The Goorkha took his scolding with his wonted 
imperturbability. Whatever the Sahib might do 
and say was all right. He would stand anything 
from him, but as for npidugising to that chump of a 
Tartar, who did not have the sense to perceive that 
his appreciation of his wife*s attractions was some- 
thing to be pleased with instead of resenting, he 
would not demean himself by doing it, and Mr. 
Stannard had been wise in forbearing to compel 
him. 

At Lippe, Mr. Stannard was able to procure for 
Kent, who found the incessant climbing beyond his 
strength at times, a steed the like of which he had 
never imagined he would bestride. 

This was the yak, or wild ox of Thibet, Bos 
grunnienSj or grunting ox, as it was most appro- 
priately called, the only animal equal to the task 
of overcoming the tremendous difficulties that 
awaited the travellers. 

The one Mr. Stannard secured was a splendid 
specimen of its kind. It stood nearly six feet in 
height at the shoulders, and must have weighed 
not less than twelve hundred pounds. A dense 


64 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


coat of shaggy brown and white hair covered its 
broad flanks and short, stout limbs, while the tail was 
finished off with a great white tuft, that was admir- 
ably adapted for whisking away flies. The long, 
narrow head bore a pair of smooth, sharp-pointed 
horns, curving upwards and outwards, that seemed 
capable of any amount of mischief, and the whole 
appearance of the animal was decidedly awe- 
inspiring. 

Kent viewed the new acquisition with some 
trepidation. 

“ You don’t mean that I’m to ride on that extra- 
ordinary-looking thing, do you ? ” he queried, with 
an incredulous glance at the yak, which was grunt- 
ing away, and shaking its head as if very anxious 
to give somebody a taste of its horns. 

“Not unless you want to, Kent,” replied his 
father. “ If you prefer going on foot, we can load 
the fellow up with baggage. But, if I’m not much 
mistaken, you’ll be glad enough to jump on his 
broad back before the day’s journey is over.” 

A spirit of mischief and daring suddenly taking 
the place of his first feeling of apprehension, Kent, 
without giving any hint of his purpose, retreating 
a few steps, sprang forward again, and vaulted very 
cleverly right on to the yak’s shoulders. 

This startled the great creature so that it broke 
away from its driver, who had been holding it by a 


AN EXTRAOKDINAEY STEED 


6S 

stout rope attached to a ring in its nose, and the 
moment it realised that it was free it lowered 
its head, and raising its continuous grunting to a 
savage bellow, charged straight into the group of 
people right in front of it, among whom were 
Champ and Bunty. The vigorous scramble that 
took place was highly amusing, and as nobody was 
hurt, those who were not concerned in it could 
afford to laugh at the frantic motions of the others. 

Happily the yak, though his first attempt at 
tossing somebody proved a complete failure, showed 
no sign of trying again, but put off down the valley 
at a lumbering gallop, grunting fiercely. 

The Sikh's sense of dignity had been so touched 
by the sudden volte-face he had been compelled to 
execute that he made no effort to pursue the run- 
away, although his young master was clinging help- 
lessly to its back. 

But the Goorkha's feelings had not been hurt 
in the least. Though it were necessary to turn a 
somersault to save himself, he would have done it, 
and then bobbed up serenely. When, therefore, 
the yak made off, Bunty, the moment he recovered 
himself, began pursuit, and running much faster 
than the clumsy creature, not only caught up with 
it, but caught hold of its long tail as it streamed 
out behind, the big tuft at the end affording him a 
splendid grip. 

E 


66 


ON THE WORLD’S ROOF 


If the sudden scattering of the little group was 
funny to witness, the scene that now ensued was 
far more amusing. 

Kent had no difficulty in retaining his seat, 
thanks to the thickness of hair on the animal’s 
humped shoulders, and did not feel the least bit 
alarmed, for they were on a comparatively level bit 
of ground, and there were no chasms ahead. 

As for Bunty, he was manifestly enjoying him- 
self famously, a vast grin irradiating his homely 
features, while he pulled back on the yak’s tail 
with a vigour that threatened to have it out by 
the roots. 

The village folks flocked from their houses to see 
the fun, and Mr. Stannard, having no fear for his 
boy’s safety, was so overcome with the absurdity of 
the whole thing that he could scarcely stand up 
for laughing. 

After careering down the valley in this wild 
fashion for the space of a couple of hundred yards, 
the yak began to let up. Into its slow brain had 
come the question as to what all the fun was about 
any way, and whether there was any sense in its 
exerting itself to such an extent. It accordingly 
slackened its pace until it came down to a walk, 
when Bunty exchanged the tail for the rope at the 
animal’s nose, and thus getting control of it, led it 
back in triumph. 







lirfliViMti n ,||ni|mmKny|ggj 


The Yak Ride 


Page GO 





1 




AN EXTKAOEDINAKY STEED 67 

That night Mr. Stannard told Kent many in- 
teresting things about this curious creature, which 
cannot live away from the cold, snowy regions of 
the Himalayas, and therefore has never been seen 
in any menagerie, however extensive. 

“ Away up in Chinese Thibet, and in some parts 
of Ladak, you see the wild yak in his perfection, 
and he is really a magnificent fellow. There is no 
harder animal in the world to shoot, and the hunter 
that can stalk one successfully may well boast of 
his trophy. The natives have an odd way of hunt- 
ing them that often succeeds. They dig two pits 
in the ground at some place frequented by a herd, 
there being a connecting tunnel between the pits. 
Then, if the first shot only wounds the yak — and he 
is as hard to kill as a wild cat — he charges furiously 
at the hole from which the bullet came, whereupon 
the hunter scuttles away to the other hole, and 
fires at him from that. At once the yak turns 
his attention to the second hole, while the hunter 
hastens to the first for another shot, and so the 
game is kept up until at last the noble brute suc- 
cumbs to many wounds. It’s not according to our 
idea of sport, Kent, but it bags the game, and that’s 
the main point with the natives.” 

The following day’s journey proved so arduous a 
one that ere it was half over Kent was only too 
glad to avail himself of the help of the Bos grun- 


68 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


niens. Usually two days were allowed for the 
distance between Lippe and Sugnam ; but Mr. 
Stannard was anxious to accomplish it in one, and 
to do this would require not less than twelve hours 
of continuous climbing. The path led over the 
terrible Euhaug Pass, which reaches a height of 
nearly 15,000 feet, and in crossing its summit it 
was necessary to ascend, and then descend, over 
8000 feet before Sugnam was reached. 

All this involved a great deal of difficult and 
dangerous work. In one place the road, if such it 
could be called, slanted across the face of an im- 
mense slate precipice where one slip of the foot 
would have meant destruction. So narrow was this 
pathway tliat at times Kent had to dismount, and 
even the saddle had to be taken off the yak in order 
to get it around a critical corner. 

But nothing could have been more comforting 
than the yak’s method of progression. It was slow 
yet sure with a vengeance. It never put weight 
upon a hoof until it felt it could rely upon its foot- 
ing, and it thus crept on with a steadiness that was 
as admirable as it was reassuring. 

The worst part of the day’s travel came in the 
afternoon, when a long and woefully steep ascent 
led up to a great bank of snow, the first the party 
had encountered. 

High up in the world as they were, the heat and 


AN EXTRAORDINARY STEED 69 

glare of the sun while passing over the rocks had 
been trying in the extreme ; but as they approached 
the snow the sky darkened, and a violent wind came 
sweeping over the summit of the pass from the fields 
of ice beyond that chilled them to the bone. 

By this time they were all more or less weary 
from the extra fatigue of their forced march, and 
the rarefied air made breathing difficult. But they 
dare not halt even for a moment. To have done so 
would have only added to the perils of their situa- 
tion. They must press on resolutely until they 
were beyond the summit, and had got some dis- 
tance below it, before they could venture to call 
a halt. 


CHAPTER VI 


STRANGE VISITORS AT NIGHT 

So severe was the toil of conquering tke Ruhang 
Pass that even the Sikh and Goorkha showed signs 
of faltering, while some of the poor coolies fairly 
broke down and cried as they staggered along under 
their burdens, which, after all, were not more than 
fifty pounds apiece. 

But Mr. Stannard’s spirits and energy seemed 
limitless. He poked fun at Champ and Bunty for 
being no better than a pair of boys, he scolded or 
cheered the coolies according to his knowledge of 
their nature, and he had always a helping hand 
for everybody that might be in difficulties. 

He was the first to try the dangerous places, 
and his example so inspired the others that, in 
spite of wind and cold and snow, Sugnam was 
reached ere nightfall without mishap or damage 
of any kind. 

Sugnam being a large village where the people 
seemed well-to-do, Mr. Stannard decided to rest 
for a day, in order to recover from their great 


STRANGE VISITORS AT NIGHT /I 

exertion. So the tents were pitched in a pleasant 
place shaded by large willow-trees, while near at 
hand were abundance of apricot-trees and vines, 
that gave good promise of bearing big purple grapes 
in plenty. 

Kent lamented that the fruit season was not at 
hand. Apricots and grapes would have made a 
very pleasant addition to their rather monotonous 
bill of fare. But they could hardly wait for the 
fruit to ripen. So he had to content himself with 
the hope that on the return journey they would be 
in good season. 

So refreshed was everybody by the day’s rest 
that Mr. Stannard determined upon another forced 
march. The usual thing was to count from Sugnam 
to Shaso a short day’s journey, and from Siiaso to 
Pu another ; but Mr. Stannard would put the two 
stages into one. 

“ We’re all sound in wind and limb still,” he 
told his party, “ and the faster we get on the better 
for us in every way. There’s no telling what acci- 
dents or delays may befall us farther on. Let’s make 
hay while the sun shines.” 

Nor was he content with words of cheer. When- 
ever he called upon the coolies for any extra exer- 
tion, he always added a couple of annas to that 
day’s pay, a recompense which amply atoned for 
the additional labours they had to endure. 


72 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


From Sugnam to Shaso was comparatively easy 
going, but there were some spots on the way from 
Shaso to Pu that tried the nerves and muscles of 
the travellers severely. 

The track ran across the face of tremendous slate 
precipices, which rose up in a steep slope thousands 
of feet from the foaming and thundering Sutlej. 
The weather had worn away the softer parts of the 
slate in many places, leaving the hardened ends 
sticking out, and where these protruding portions 
were close together, long slabs of slate had been 
laid across them, forming a precarious footpath 
that a mountain goat might well have refused to 
trust himself upon. Where these projections were 
not sufficiently on line, or were too far distant from 
each other to allow of the slabs being fixed, the 
travellers had to work their way along as best they 
could. 

If, however, a long gap made this out of the 
question, ropes of twisted juniper-branches had 
been stretched from one point to another, upon 
which slabs of slate were placed, with their inner 
ends resting on crevices in the precipice wall, thus 
forming a footpath with many gaps in it, through 
which a view could be had into awful depths 
beneath. 

Nor was the danger of losing one’s looting the 
oni^ one the mountain-climbers had to face. The 


STRANGE VISITORS AT NIGHT . 73 

rope-bridges were about as insecure as such things 
could possibly be, bending and shaking so beneath 
the strain put upon them that every now and then 
a slab would drop out, and go clattering down the 
cbasm until smashed to atoms ; while from above 
loose fragments of slate were continually falling, 
as if the mountain were keeping up a fusillade 
upon the daring wayfarers. 

Kent was very silent during this difficult and 
dangerous travel. The tremendous sublimity of 
their surroundings, the sombre jagged precipices 
all around, the sunless gorge of the Sutlej beneath, 
the frowning cliffs above, no less than the strain of 
keeping his place in the little procession of climbers 
while the hot July sun beat mercilessly upon the 
bare slate, producing a heat that was almost sick- 
ening — these influences tied his tongue, and he 
plodded along with little more than one thought in 
his mind — to wit. When would that awful journey 
come to an end ? 

The yak had, of course, been dismissed before 
this part of the route had been entered upon, and 
Kent had only “ shanks' mare” to carry him. But 
he kept up with really admirable fortitude, winning 
many a warm word of praise from his father, and 
materially increasing the respect which the Sikh 
and Goorkha were coming to entertain for the 
young Sahib’s powers. 


74 


ON THE WOKLD’s ROOF 


But it seemed that he had overcome the toils 
and trials of that day’s travel only to face a more 
insidious, though no less dangerous, foe which now 
attacked him. It was in the evening, after dinner 
— for which, by the way, Kent did not show his 
wonted appetite — had been disposed of, that the 
first signs of trouble showed themselves. 

He had been feeling strange for some time 
before saying anything, but at last thought it 
necessary to speak. 

“ It seems to me as if I was going to have a sick 
spell, father,” he said. “ I’m feeling awfully queer. 
What can be the matter ? ” 

“I’m afraid I’ve let you overdo yourself to-day, 
my boy,” responded Mr. Stannard, in a tone of 
tender self-reproach. “I was so anxious to reach 
here by sunset that Tve not sufficiently considered 
your young strength.” 

“Oh, I don’t think it’s that, father,” returned 
Kent, with a grave attempt at a smile. “ I’m tired, 
of course, but not more than I’ve been after a foot- 
ball match at school. It’s my head that’s bothering 
me, and I’ve got horrid little pains here,” placing 
his hand upon his stomach. 

At this Mr. Stannard looked grave, and taking 
Kent’s hand, felt his pulse, and also pressed his own 
palm upon his forehead. 

“ I hope you’re not in for an attack of dysentery. 


STRANGE VISITORS AT NIGHT 

Kent,” said he. “ But if it should be that, Fm 
glad to say Fve got the right medicine with me.” 

In the event Mr. Stannard’s apprehensions proved 
well formed. Kent grew much worse during the 
night, and had to take big doses of ipecacuanha and 
calomel, which nauseous remedies were almost as 
hard to stand as the cramps. 

Of course no progress could be thought of until 
Kent had quite recovered, and Mr. St'^’mard con- 
gratulated himself that, since this untoward event 
had to occur, it came to them when they were so 
advantageously camped. 

Pu was a good-sized village, well situated on the 
slope of a mountain, and the tents had been pitched 
on its outskirts in a terraced field, where the apricot- 
trees gave them protection from both sun and wind. 

Among the residents of Pu was a Moravian mis- 
sionary and his wife, and the good woman, as soon 
as she heard of Kent’s condition, became a very 
angel of mercy to him. They could not converse, 
because he spoke only English and French, while 
she knew German and Thibetan. But she had 
such a kind, motherly face, and knew so thoroughly 
how to soothe his fevered pillow, and to tempt his 
appetite with daintily cooked food, that the mother- 
less boy’s heart went out unreservedly to her, and 
he spoke to her eloquently with his eyes, though 
he could say nothing with his tongue. 


76 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


It was a whole week before Kent fully recovered, 
and during the long night-watches, when he was 
lying awake, while the others slept soundly, he saw 
some strange sights — so strange, indeed, that at 
first he said nothing about them, thinking that they 
might be the mere figments of his brain, upset for 
the time by his sufferings. The door of the tent 
was kept open for the sake of coolness, and the 
moon being at the full, Kent could see clearly all 
that went on outside. 

His first sensation came from the sight of 
serpents, big fellows, full six feet long, that went 
gliding past the tent, happily too intent on some 
other business to pay him a visit. 

Kow Kent had heard his father say that there 
were no snakes in the Himalayas, and at first he 
thought he was dreaming, but when he not only 
saw the repulsive things, but actually heard them 
moving about, he doubted no longer, and, sure 
enough, the Sikh, happening once to get up 
through the night, caught sight of a serpent not 
three yards from the tent, and, uttering an ex- 
clamation of horror, crushed its head by a for- 
tunate blow from a stone that he promptly hurled 
at it. 

Other nocturnal visitors were great Thibetan 
mastiffs belonging to a Lama nunnery higher up 
the mountain, that used to be let loose at night, 


STRANGE VISITORS AT NIGHT 77 

and came down to the tents to prowl about, pro- 
bably in quest of food. 

At the outset Kent did not mind them. Indeed, 
he liked their coming. He was very fond of dogs, 
and these huge creatures were the finest of their 
kind he had ever seen. 

There was one especially big fellow of whom he 
had begun to feel quite fond. In fact, he had 
quite made up his mind to try and buy him when 
he got well. But one night he was awakened from 
a kind of nightmare by finding the dog standing 
over him with his fore-paw on his chest, while he 
fumbled at his throat with his tremendous jaws as 
if about to devour him. 

In a trice Kent’s growing affection gave way to 
wild terror, and throwing off the brute by a frantic 
effort, he shouted, “ Father ! father ! wake up and 
shoot him ! ” 

Mr. Stannard had the happy faculty of -waking 
at once from sound sleep with all his faculiies 
about him. He responded to Kent’s call with won- 
derful promptitude, and seized his rifle just as the 
dog, growling fiercely, was retreating from the tent. 

Taking rapid aim, he pulled the trigger, and the 
bullet, traversing nearly the whole length of the 
mastiff’s body, buried itself in the tent. The animal 
gave one awful roar of mingled rage and agony, 
and rolled over dead. 


78 ON THE world’s ROOF 

After this incident Kent was never left alone at 
night, Mr. Stannard taking turns with Champ and 
Bunty in keeping watch beside him. 

Yet the most exciting experience was still to 
come. It was drawing near the close of the week, 
and Kent was decidedly on the mend. In a 
couple of days he would be able to resume travel- 
ling. Bunty was sitting up with him, and Kent 
had been sleeping so soundly during the first part 
of the night that the Goorkha, who had eaten a 
particularly large dinner of roast mutton and rice, 
allowed his vigilance to relax, and dozed off, until 
finally he fell into a profound sleep himself. 

A little after midnight Kent woke up, for no 
particular reason so far as he knew, and glancing 
through the door of the tent, was surprised to 
see a very strange -looking figure moving about 
with the unsteady swaying motion of a drunken 
man. 

There were some Chinese-Tartar pilgrims en- 
camped near the Lama temple, and Kent thought 
at first it must be one of these arrayed in a clumsy 
sheepskin coat, who had wandered down while too 
drunk to know just what he was about. He 
therefore kept still, for he had no apprehension 
of danger from that source. 

But when the strange object went over to an 
apricot-tree, and began to climb in a curious 


STRANGE VISITORS AT NIGHT 


79 


fashion that certainly was not human, Kent's sus- 
picious were aroused, and he called out, “ Bunty, 
wake up ! See what that thing is ! ” 

At the sound of his voice the mysterious 

creature turned its head — for it had hitherto had 
its back to the tent — and uttered a ferocious growl 
that at once gave Kent a clue to its identity. 
Without doubt it was a bear, and a big one too ! 

Kent’s call awoke not only Bunty, but Mr. 

Stannard also, and both sprang to their feet, the 
one grasping his rifle, the other the famous 
Goorkha knife, with which in the right hand 

such terrible execution can be done. 

The bear was now sending forth menacing 
growls and grunts that said as plainly as 

words could have done it, “Touch me, if you 
dare.” 

But Mr. Stannard was not one to be intimidated 
in this fashion. He had promptly come to the con- 
clusion that the midnight visitor was no common- 
place Indian black bear, nor even a Thibetan bear, 
but one of the big yellow snow-bears, which rarely 
descend below the snow-line, and are known to be 
very fierce and dangerous. 

“We must have that fellow, Kent,” he said. 
“ It’s the first chance I’ve had to kill one, and we 
won’t let him off*.” 

By this time the bear had got well up into the 


8o 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


apricot-tree, where the foliage hid him, so that good 
aim could not be taken. 

“ Throw some stones at him, Bahadur,” ordered 
Mr. Stannard, and the Goorkha sent a big volley of 
rocks at the hidden animal. They were at once 
effective ; for, resuming his growling, which he had 
given over when he began eating the fruit, the bear 
promptly started to descend again to give battle to 
his challengers. 

Sitting up in bed, Kent had a full view of the 
whole proceedings, and watched them with intense 
interest, not altogether free from concern lest his 
father might suffer some harm. 

Tail first the great clumsy creature came down 
the tree-trunk, halting every yard or two to turn 
its head towards the tent and give a thunderous 
growl that meant plainly : “ Take advantage of me 
now, if you dare. I’ll make you suffer for it the 
moment I get my four feet on the ground again.” 

“ Why don’t you fire at him, father ? ” screamed 
Kent, quivering with excitement. 

But Mr. Stannard was waiting until the bear 
should expose his full front, and thus present a 
target that could hardly be missed. 

Bunty stood at his side, his heavy, keen-edged 
knife in hand, ready to decapitate the creature at 
one blow if he got a good chance. 

As Mr. Stannard expected, the bear, on reaching 


STRANGE VISITORS AT NIGHT 


8i 


the ground, reared upon its hind-legs to face its 
assailants. This was the hunter’s opportunity. 
Aiming carefully at the shaggy beast, he pulled 
the trigger, confident that with the report the bear 
would pitch forward stone-dead. 

But whether owing to the uncertain light, or to 
a trembling of the nerves due to the midnight dis- 
turbance, Mr. Stannard’s wonted accuracy failed him 
for once, and the leaden messenger did not find its 
way straight to the animal’s heart. With a quick- 
ness almost incredible in so large and heavy a 
creature, the bear, dropping on to its four feet, 
charged furiously at Mr. Stannard. 

The latter had no time to reload, or to snatch 
up another rifle, but clubbing the one he had, he 
brought it down with all his might upon the bear’s 
head. It was a blow that might have felled an ox, 
yet the bear hardly seemed to feel it, and the next 
instant he had knocked Mr. Stannard down and was 
standing over him growling horribly. 

Mr. Stannard might have avoided his fierce 
charge, indeed, but to have done so would have left 
undefended the tent where Kent lay helpless, and 
this his father’s heart could not for a moment 
consider. 

As Kent saw him fall he sprang out of bed 
himself, crying to the Goorkha, “ Save him, Bunty ! 
— oh, save him ! ” 

F 


82 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


The plucky fellow needed no such appeal. He 
had only been waiting for the right moment to 
intervene. Darting forward, he swung his huge 
knife on high, and with a thrilling swish it de- 
scended upon the bear’s neck just behind the ears. 

He could not have done it more scientifically if 
he had taken long minutes instead of a brief second 
to get his aim. The flashing blade shore through 
fur and flesh, snapping the spinal cord- and well- 
nigh severing the head from the body. Without 
even a final growl the bear sank down dead, beyond 
a peradventure. 

“ Father ! father ! are you hurt ? Did the bear 
bite you ? ” cried Kent, standing at the tent door, 
and looking like a ghost in the moonlight. 

Mr. Stannard, throwing off the inert body that 
pressed heavily upon him, rose up and shook 
himself. 

“ Hurt, Kent — not a bit, thank God ! although I 
did come down rather hard on these stones. Go 
back to bed, my boy, or you’ll be getting worse again.” 

Quite relieved by his father’s cheery tone, Kent 
went back to his cot, while Mr. Stannard and the 
Goorkha proceeded to examine their prize. It 
proved to be an unusually fine specimen of the 
Ursus Isabellinus, one of the most savage of its 
kind, and Mr. Stannard felt very proud indeed of 
having bagged it with Bunty’s aid. 


STRANGE VISITORS AT NIGHT 83 

“I know many a white shikari that would envy 
me this night’s work, Kent,” said he exultantly 
when the heavy carcass had been hung up to the 
tree, so as to be out of the way of the dogs that 
were so continually prowling around. “ Why, my 
boy, it is not unusual for one of those fellows to 
pull down a yak and make a meal oflf him if he 
gets the chance, which he does in midsummer, when 
the yaks are sent up to the heights to graze. I 
haven’t had a kill for some time that gave me as 
much satisfaction as this one.” 

This was the last of Kent’s nocturnal disturbers, 
and the remaining nights of their stay at Pu were 
quiet enough, but they were all none the less glad 
when his complete recovery enabled them to pro- 
ceed again. 

Their next stopping-place of importance would be 
Shipki, just across the borders of Chinese Thibet, 
and Mr. Stannard was anxious to reach it as soon 
as possible, for there would be decided the momen- 
tous question whether they would be permitted to 
enter the mysterious region to which it was the 
gateway, or be compelled to turn away baffled from 
the portal at which so many before them had applied 
in vain. 


CHAPTER VII 


AT THE GATEWAY OF THIBET 

Bidding farewell to the kind missionary and to his 
wife, whose motherly attention had helped so much 
in bringing Kent back to health, and not forgetting 
to make them presents that they highly appreciated, 
the travellers set out from Pu in high spirits. 

While their journey was undoubtedly growing 
more difficult, it was also increasing in interest, and 
if it should be that they could slip past Shipki 
unchallenged, or obtain permission to pass by any 
diplomacy, and thus make their way to the strange 
city of Lh’asa, the jealously guarded capital of the 
Thibetan empire, then would the purpose of their 
expedition be gloriously accomplished. 

“But I confess I am far from sanguine as to 

getting past Shipki,” said Mr. Stannard to Kent as 

they talked together over their plans. “ Why those 

ugly, dirty heathens should be so afraid of letting 

Europeans see their capital beats my comprehension. 

We certainly don’t want to take it from them. It 

would be of no use to us whatever, and they have 
84 


AT THE GATEWAY OF THIBET 85 

everything to gain by opening their country to 
commerce. But they’re as obstinate as they are 
dirty. However,” he added, brightening up, " per- 
haps they may let us through ; and if they do, we’ll 
certainly push on to Lh’asa, and if we succeed in 
reaching it, Kent, you’ll be able to boast of being the 
first English boy to set foot inside its walls.” 

Kent’s eyes glistened and his cheeks flushed. 
“ Wouldn’t that be splendid, father ? ” he exclaimed. 

It would, my boy,” responded Mr. Stannard. 
" But don’t set your heart too much upon it. The 
chances are about nine to one that we shall be 
turned back.” 

It was a good two days’ march to Shipki, and 
they made it without accident or incident of special 
sort. In crossing the Sutlej river at Dubling they 
made their first acquaintance with the sang'pa, a 
curious kind of wooden bridge, which is supposed 
to have suggested the cantilever principle, on which 
the famous Forth Bridge and other great structures 
of the kind have been built. 

Mr. Stannard pointed out to Kent how cleverly 
the native builders had done their work, great beams 
being pushed out from each side of the gorge one 
over the other, with their shore - ends securely 
weighted down, until they came close enough to- 
gether to permit of their exiremities being joined 
by long planks. There was no sign of a railing, 


86 


ON THE world's ROOF 


and the bridge, being but three feet broad and de- 
cidedly shaky, while the river rushed roaring nearly 
a hundred feet below it, called for a sure foot and a 
steady head to cross it safely. 

All of Mr. Stannard's party got over without 
mishap, but just behind them came a Tartar mer- 
chant, returning to his home beyond the border, who 
had a big yak laden with goods. This animal took 
it into his stupid head to balk just when it reached 
the middle of the bridge, and the most strenuous 
efforts of the man who was leading it by the nose- 
ring, supplemented by the frantic shouting of the 
merchant, who brought up the rear, availed nothing 
to make it move on. 

Though powerless to render any assistance, Mr. 
Stannard and those with him waited to see what 
would be the end of the matter. 

The old bridge had been shaky enough under 
their weight, but with the great bulk of the yak 
bearing heavily upon it, it swayed and cracked in a 
manner ominously prophetic of an early collapse. 

There was a comical aspect to the afifiir that 
Kent was quick to appreciate. 

“ Just see what a state of excitement that chap’s 
in,” he said laughingly. “If he don’t take care 
he’ll be over the bridge himself.” 

“I imagine you would be pretty well worked 
up too,” replied his father, “ if all you were worth 


AT THE GATEWAY OF THIBET 87 

in the world was on the back of that provoking 
brute.” 

The Tartar merchant certainly presented a mov- 
ing picture as he raged away at the stubborn 
animal, no doubt aspersing its ancestors unto the 
third and fourth generation, and bespeaking male- 
dictions upon its posterity in like measure. 

For full ten minutes the great creature stood as 
motionless as if cast in bronze. Then, as though 
stung by a hornet, it suddenly plunged forward, 
causing the man in front to narrowly escape a 
tumble over the side of the bridge in his effort to 
get out of its way, and letting the merchant, who 
had been shoving behind with all his might, fall for- 
ward on his face, to the serious detriment of his nose, 
which got a nasty scrape against the rough planks. 

But that was not the worst of the matter. In 
thus darting forward, the yak, unaccustomed to any 
such rash and rapid movements, lost its footing, and 
amid the loud wails of master and driver, lurched 
heavily off the bridge into the raging torrent far 
below. 

“ Bless my heart I that’s too bad,” exclaimed Mr. 
Stannard, in a tone of genuine sympathy. I’m 
afraid that’s a hopeless case.” 

*'He’s gone for sure,” said Kent, pressing for- 
ward to the end of the chasm to see the last of the 
unfortunate yak. 


88 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


But neither of them knew how much Bos grun- 
niens could stand. At the first plunge the clumsy 
creature vanished out of siglit, only to emerge again 
fifty feet farther down, and to strike out bravely 
for life. 

“Just look at him, father!” cried Kent, dancing 
about in his excitement. “He can swim like a 
duck.” 

True enough, the yak evidently could swim as- 
tonishingly well, and Mr. Stannard, glancing down 
the stream saw an eddy just below from which, if 
the animal got into it, there might be some chance 
of a rescue. 

“ Come along, Kent,” said Mr. Stannard ; “ that 
fellow may be pulled out after all.” 

Whether the yak had sufficient instinct or in- 
telligence to take in the situation it would be hard 
to say. As a matter of fact, it struggled towards 
the eddy, and succeeded in reaching it, thus escap- 
ing the merciless grasp of the torrent. 

Mr. Stannard, accompanied by Kent and the 
two servants, besides a number of the coolies, now 
addressed themselves to the task of getting the 
animal out of its precarious position, its owner and 
driver looking on with intense interest, but not 
offering the slightest help. It was a tough job; 
but Mr. Stannard was not one to give up in a 
hurry anything he undertook, and at the end of 


AT THE GATEWAY OF THIBET 89 

an hour the yak was up on the river- bank again, 
very little the worse for its rough experience. 

The merchant’s gratitude was quite embarrassing. 
If Mr. Stannard had been minded to take literally 
what he said, his possessions would have been 
rescued from the torrent only to be the reward 
of their rescuer. 

But Mr. Stannard would have nothing save 
thanks, and leaving the man to examine his goods, 
and see how much they had suffered from the 
mishap, he went his way, quite content with his 
part in the transaction. 

They camped in a terraced field a little beyond 
Namgea, where water and firewood were in abun- 
dance. Here the view outspread before them was 
indescribably grand. They were themselves at a 
height of over twelve thousand feet, but right in 
front, from the opposite bank of the Sutlej, rose the 
mountain called Lio Porgyul, so sheer and stark that 
a stone could be rolled from its summit, twenty-three 
thousand feet in height, down into the waters of 
the river running ten thousand feet below its snow- 
capped peak. This glorious mountain sent so many 
towers and aiguilles up into the cold, clear air that 
it reminded Mr. Stannard of Milan Cathedral. 

“ That’s a sight worth travelling far to see, even 
over such rough roads as we’ve had to put up with, 
isn’t it, Kent?” he said enthusiastically, as they 


90 


ON THE WORLD’S ROOF 


watched the wonderful play of the departing sunlight 
upon the mountain's vari-coloured flank. 

“It is indeed, father,” replied Kent; “and I’m 
so glad you let me come with you. I’m enjoying 
every bit of the way.” 

Mr. Stannard gave his son a look of profound 
pride and affection. 

“ You’re a regular chip of the old block, my boy,” 
he said, throwing his arm about him. “ You’ve got 
my taste for travel, and for seeing strange places 
and people. If your poor dear mother were still 
alive, I’m afraid we would fill her heart with 
anxiety ; ” and then, the sense of his bereavement 
coming over him afresh at the mention of his dear 
wife, his eyes filled with tears, and he said no more. 

But Kent understood, and taking his father’s 
hand, he pressed it tenderly between his own, in 
gentle, silent sympathy. There was something 
very beautiful about the perfect mutual under- 
standing that existed between the father and son. 
It seldom found expression in words or deeds, but 
it was the very atmosphere in which they lived, 
and they rarely held any difference of opinion that 
was of consequence. 

But if Lio Porgyul was impressive by day, it 
became almost overpowering at night, when the 
moon was slowly rising behind the dark precipice, 
on a shelf of which the camp had been pitched. 


AT THE GATEWAY OF THIBET 9 1 

Before it became visible itself, the orb of night’s 
white rays lit up the deep gorges of the Spiti river, 
and bathed in silvery splendour the multitudinous 
towers and battlements of the mighty mountain. 
“ It did not at all appear as if any external light 
were falling, but rather as if the great castle of the 
gods, being transparent as alabaster, were lighted 
up from within, and shone in its own radiance, 
throwing its supernatural light on the savage scene 
around.” 

So magnificent was the effect, and with such 
skill did it seem to be managed, that Kent could 
hardly be blamed for being reminded of a mar- 
vellous transformation scene that had struck him 
spell-bound with admiration in a Christmas pan- 
tomime at the Adelphi the previous winter. His 
father was much amused at his making any com- 
parison between the glorious work of Nature and 
the paltry imitation of man, but Kent stuck man- 
fully to it that the latter was by no means to be 
despised. 

In getting from the Namgea fields to Shipki it 
was necessary to reach an altitude of some sixteen 
thousand feet, and fearing that the exertion involved 
would be rather too much for Kent, Mr. Stannard 
obtained for him the use of a yak, which Kent was 
only too glad to ride. 

The creature moved with exasperating slowness. 


92 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


grunting protests at every step, but it was as sure 
as it was slow, and it kept on steadily without 
stopping to rest. 

Bunty, most of whose life had been spent among 
the mountains of Nepaul, did not seem to mind the 
stiff climbing at all, his tongue going incessantly 
as he trotted along. 

But the tall Sikh found it very hard work, the 
rarefied air being so difficult to breathe that he was 
attacked with a bleeding at the nose, which scared 
him a good deal until Mr. Stannard reassured him. 

The latter led the way with seemingly tireless 
step, neither the thinness of the air nor the diffi- 
culties of the path giving him any concern. 

During the middle of the day the heat reflected 
from the bare rock, upon which the sun poured 
down with unsparing energy, was very harassing; 
but when at length the summit of the path was 
reached, and they halted upon the open brow of 
the mountain, which here was covered with grass 
and flowers, they felt fully repaid for the toils of 
the ascent. A superb panorama unrolled itself 
before their eyes as they gazed north, south, east, 
and west, the most remarkable feature being the 
gigantic semicircle of appalling precipices, lofty 
rock-peaks, and snowy summits more than twenty 
thousand feet high. 

Kent, having ridden at his ease on the yak, 


AT THE GATEWAY OF THIBET 93 

while the others toiled on foot, set off in quest of 
flowers while they rested for a spell, and brought 
back to his father a beautiful bouquet of blue 
Alpine blossoms, whose loveliness was enhanced 
by the savage grandeur of the surroundings amid 
which they ventured to bloom. 

About the middle of the afternoon they came 
to the Thibetan boundary, and from the extreme 
summit of the pass had a clear view into Tar- 
tary, the strange region that was the goal of their 
expedition. 

It presented to their eyes a great expanse of 
bare and rounded, but smooth-looking, hills, fading 
away into the elevated plane beyond. Hardly a 
tree was visible, and there were no high peaks 
nor abrupt precipices. Here and there were great 
patches of dark brown furze that bore a strong 
resemblance to Scotch heather. 

Kent, who had spent a summer in the High- 
lands, noticed this, and drew his father’s attention 
to it. 

“ You're quite right, Kent," he responded. “ It 
does certainly look very much like a Scotch moor 
in those places ; but,” he added, sweeping his hand 
around the wide scene, “the rest of it is very 
different from dear old Scotland, isn’t it?” 

And certainly there was nothing in Scotland 
to be compared to the wild sterility of those 


94 ON THE world’s ROOF 

Tartary plains^ or to the tremendous mass of Lio 
Porgyul. 

Six thousand feet in direct descent from where 
they stood lay the large villnge of Shipki, and they 
could see the inhabitants moving about on their 
terraced fields, or resting on their house-tops, and 
looking more like ants than human beings. 

‘^That’s where our fate will be decided, Kent,” 
said Mr. Stannard, with a grave expression ; “ and 
I’m by no means confident as to the result, for if 
the people refuse to supply us with yaks and coolies 
we’ve got to turn back.” 

It was a very tiresome and dreary business getting 
down to Shipki, anticipating which, Mr. Stannard 
had sent the Sikh and Goorkha on ahead with the 
tents, so that they might be all ready for them to 
rest on their arrival. 

Great, therefore, was their disappointment, on 
reaching the village completely done out, to find 
not only that the tents were not put up, but 
that the chance of their being so seemed decidedly 
small. 

Provoking as it was, the situation was not with- 
out its amusing aspect, which helped to keep Mr. 
Stannard in good humour while he set himself to 
solve the problem presented. 

The village of Shipki stood on the steep slope of 
a hill above a foaming river, and was remarkably 


AT THE GATEWAY OF THIBET 95 

deficient in level ground; in fact, the only level 
place was the roofs of the houses and the long ter- 
raced fields, the entrances to which were jealously 
guarded by prickly hedges or stout stone walls. 

Now, it is not practicable to pitch a tent on the 
side of a hill covered with big stones, and having a 
slope of 45°, so that the choice lay between the 
roof of a house and a terraced field ; and just here 
came the dilemma that Champ and Bunty had 
found facing them. Upon every house-top stood 
a ferocious Thibetan mastiff, bristling with eager- 
ness to attack the strangers ; while, whenever the 
tent-carriers sought to enter one of the fields, their 
way was barred by a band of handsome and sturdy 
young Tartar women, clad in red and black tunics, 
loose trousers, and immense cloth hoods, who not 
only placed their bulky persons in opposition to 
any entrance, but even showed fight. 

Such was the condition of affairs when Mr. 
Stannard arrived ; the stalwart Sikh still stately 
and dignified, although the flash of his eye betrayed 
his anger, and the more excitable Goorkha dodging 
this way and that, and laying his hand upon his 
terrible knife with a significance that was un- 
mistakable. 

“ Hello ! what’s the matter now ? ” inquired 
Mr. Stannard, with a half-perplexed, half-amused 
expression. “ What have you been saying to 


96 ON THE world’s ROOF 

the ladies that they are giving you so warm a 
reception ? ” 

Chunna Lai hastened to explain that all his 
efforts to find a suitable camping-place had been 
foiled by the belligerent damsels, who were evi- 
dently resolved that the travellers should find no 
resting-spot within the borders of the village. 

Seeing how the wind blew, and understanding 
better than his servants the real state of affairs, Mr. 
Stannard, assuming his most conciliatory manner, 
strove to obtain by diplomacy, and the offer of 
liberal payment, the privilege his men had failed 
to secure by arguments or a show of force. 

But the Tartar women were obdurate. If the 
Sahibs wanted to camp, there was a capital place 
just half-way up the mountain-side down which 
they had just come, and there was plenty of time 
to get back there before nightfall. 

Meanwhile groups of men seated on the roofs of 
the houses were watching the proceedings with 
lively interest. They were quite willing that the 
women should do all the talking and block the 
purpose of the white visitors, but they were none 
the less ready to resent any insult or violence 
that might be offered to their brawny wives or 
daughters. 

Kent began to get alarmed. It seemed hope- 
less to carry the day when men, women, and dogs 


AT THE GATEWAY OF THIBET 97 

were all so unanimous in obstruction, so he said to 
his father — 

“ Hadn’t we better go back ? It might not be 
safe to stay here all night any way.” 

But Mr. Stannard’s resources 'were not yet ex- 
hausted. He had espied a Lama coming slowly 
down the street, and in the hope that he might 
prove more tractable than the rest of the villagers, 
he hastened to meet him. Nor was his confidence 
misplaced. The Lama promptly took the travellers’ 
part, and in default of obtaining better quarters, 
offered them a field of his own, which, although 
very limited in size, yet, with a little management, 
proved adequate for the accommodation of the whole 
party. 

Strange to say, on their taking possession of 
this plot, the villagers, finding themselves outwitted, 
instead of showing resentment, took their discom- 
fiture quite good-humouredly, even the dogs ceasing 
their angry growlings and seeming resigned to the 
situation. 

‘‘ They’re not such a bad lot after all,” said Mr. 
Stannard. “ Perhaps it may not be so hard a job 
as I feared getting into Thibet.” 

But in speaking thus he was reckoning without 
his host, as the events of the morrow would show 
only too plainly. 


G 


CHAPTER VIII 


TUENED BACK FROM TARTARY 

At Shipki the obligations of the coolies and yak- 
men who had been Mr. Stannard^s carriers ended, 
and nothing would induce them to go farther. 
They were anxious to return to their homes, and 
neither entreaties nor money had any influence 
upon them. 

Moreover, they assured Mr. Stannard that they 
did not dare to go on ; for, if the Tartars did not 
fall upon them then, they would certainly do so at 
the first opportunity. They therefore hastened to 
betake themselves homeward soon after daybreak, 
leaving Mr. Stannard with only Ohunna Lai and 
Bahadur Kanwar to assist him. 

How, even if these two had been willing to act 
as carriers, which, however, they were not, they 
would have been entirely inadequate to the task. 
Hot less than a dozen coolies were absolutely neces- 
sary, and to obtain these Mr. Stannard turned to 
the Tartars. 

Only then did the full difficulties of his situa- 


TURNED BACK FROM TARTARY 99 

tion reveal theraselves to him. The people of 
Shipki with one consent laughed at his endeavour- 
ing to go farther into their country, and flatly 
refused to give him any assistance whatever. 

On being pressed to explain their curious con- 
duct, seeing that Mr. Stannard was only a harmless 
traveller, with nothing more in view than his own 
amusement or information, they stated that they 
had express orders from the Lh’asa Government not 
to let any Europeans pass, and that it would be 
as much as their lives and properties were worth 
to allow them to do so. 

They even took the trouble to enter into particu- 
lars as to the dreadful modes of torture and death- 
such as crucifying, ripping open the body, press- 
ing and cutting out the eyes, and burying in the 
ground with only the head exposed, to be a prey 
to all kinds of insects — which might be visited upon 
them if they disobeyed the Government’s orders. 

Mr. Stannard took it for granted that there was 
a good deal of exaggeration about all this, and 
spent a whole day arguing with the chief men of 
the village. But it proved a waste of time and 
breath. The Tartars were as obdurate as the 
rocks around them, and at the end of the day 
Mr. Stannard had to give up the job of overcom- 
ing their opposition as hopeless. 

“It’s no use, Kent,” he said, with a deep sigh, 


100 ON THE world’s ROOF 

that showed how keen was his disappointment. 
“They won’t let us go ahead. We’ll have to go 
up to Kashmir instead. 

Kent did his best to look sympathetically sorrow- 
ful at his father’s discomfiture, but in his heart he 
was rather glad of it. From what little he had 
seen of the Tartars and their country, he was quite 
satisfied without any further acquaintance; and, 
moreover, he was very anxious to see the Happy 
Valley of Kashmir, concerning which famous place 
he had heard enough to fire his imagination and 
excite his curiosity to a high pitch. 

Had the Tartars been content with passive re- 
sistance to Mr. Stannard’s progress, their conduct 
would have been provoking enough ; but when they 
resorted to more active measures, the consequences 
narrowly escaped being serious, if not, indeed, fatal, 
to some of those concerned. 

It would appear that they had misgivings lest 
Mr. Stannard should push forward in spite of them, 
and they therefore resolved to give him such a 
fright that he would be only too glad to retrace 
his steps as rapidly as possible. Accordingly they 
decided upon a night-attack on the little encamp- 
ment. , 

Hot feeling altogether safe amidst such inhos- 
pitable folk, Mr. Stannard had directed the Sikh 
and Goorkha to take watch by turns during the 


TURNED BACK FROM TARTARY 10 1 

night, and both men were too apprehensive of 
danger themselves to leave any doubt as to their 
being alert sentinels. 

The moon, already far in decline, was obscured 
by masses of cloud, and the dark stillness of the 
night was broken only by the deep bay of some 
sleepless mastiff, or the rattle and crash of small 
rock-avalanches on the mountain-side, when the 
keen eyes of the Goorkha, whose turn it was to be 
on guard, detected a human head lifted cautiously 
over the stone wall at the rear of the tents. 

He was himself so concealed by the shadow of 
the tents as to be invisible, and, knowing this, he 
waited for further development before giving the 
alarm. It might be only some sneak-thief, with 
no more fell design than to steal the first thing of 
the Sahibs that he could lay his hands upon. 

Everything was so quiet about the little camp 
that the nocturnal visitor was evidently encouraged, 
and gave a signal which caused several other heads 
to show up beside his own. 

“ Ha ! ha ! ” said Banty under his breath ; “ this 
is beginning to look serious. I must rouse the 
others.” 

Creeping carefully about, he first woke up the 
Sikh, and then Mr. Stannard and Kent, explaining 
in a low whisper what he had seen. 

Mr. Stannard instantly determined to put a bold 


102 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


front on the matter, although he had no idea as to 
the strength of the disturbers of his rest. Eifle in 
hand, he stepped out before the tents, the others 
standing by him similarly armed, and demanded in 
a peremptory tone that betrayed not the slightest 
sense of nervousness — 

" Who are you ? and what do you want here ? ” 

For answer a number of dark forms appeared 
suddenly from behind the walls, and the loud report 
of several matchlocks rang out with startling rever- 
beration. 

Involuntarily the two servants and Kent ducked 
their heads as though to dodge the bullets, but Mr. 
Stannard never flinched. 

“ All together now. Fire ! ” he cried, levelling 
his rifle at the place whence the firing had come. 

With remarkable promptitude the others obeyed, 
and almost as one the crack of the four rifles made 
reply to the matchlocks. 

The instant the latter had gone off the Tartars 
vanished behind the wall, so that the rifles did 
no execution. And this was precisely what Mr. 
Stannard intended. He had no desire for blood- 
shed. On the contrary, he was extremely anxious 
to avoid it. But he knew very well that the best 
way to prevent any such catastrophe was to show 
himself ready to fight desperately in his own 
defeuce. 


TURNED BACK FROM TARTARY IO3 

Following close upon the volley from the rifles, 
Mr. Stannard shouted, “Now then, after them! 
Keep together 1 ” and the others again obeying 
without a moment’s hesitation, the gallant little 
band dashed across the terraced field, with 
their rifles in hand, ready for use as clubs if 
need be. 

So daring a response to an attack that was con- 
fidently expected to throw its objects into a panic 
turned the tables upon the Tartars with a vengeance, 
and giving vent to shouts and grunts of terror, they 
fled precipitately into the darkness. 

Content with the advantage thus gained, Mr. 
Stannard made no attempt to follow them, but 
during the remainder of that night not an eye 
was closed in the tents. With rifles and revolvers 
loaded, all four sat watching, ready for the first sign 
of a renewal of the attack. 

But the Tartars made no further attempt. The 
first had shown them clearly enough that the 
Sahibs were not to be caught napping, and as their 
real purpose was only to give them a bad scare, 
they had no idea of risking their precious lives 
again. 

Through it all Kent bore himself with such 
composure that his father felt bound to give him 
warm praise. 

“You acted like a veteran, Kent,” he said, with 


104 ON THE WOKLD’S ROOF 

an applauding clap upon his shoulders, “though 
it was your first time to be under fire.” 

Kent blushed to the roots of his hair with plea- 
sure at the compliment. 

“ I was a good deal scared all the same, you 
know,*’ he replied. “But I wouldn’t have these 
rascals know it for the world. Do you think they’ll 
come at us again, father ? ” 

“ I doubt if they will,” responded Mr. Stannard. 
“The more I think of it, the more convinced I am 
that they did it only to frighten us away. Tliey 
just want to cure us of our crazy notion of pene- 
trating any farther into their country, which they 
are so strangely anxious to shut us out from.” 

That Mr. Stannard’s reading of the situation was 
correct the following morning showed; for, while 
they were at breakfast, the headman of the village, 
attended by three companions, appeared, and assum- 
ing utter unconsciousness of the events of the pre- 
ceding night, graciously inquired if the Sahihs 
wished to hire bearers and yaks to take them back 
whence they had come. 

“You see I was right in my suspicions, Kent,” 
said Mr. Stannard, as soon as the village embassy 
had made known their business. “ That little 
demonstration last night was their pleasant way of 
giving us notice to quit.” 

“ And what will you do about it, father ? ” asked 


TURNED BACK FROM TARTARY IO5 

Kent eagerly, for he was indeed impatient to get 
away from Shipki, where the men, women, and 
dogs united in being so inhospitable. 

“ Well,” replied Mr. Stannard, with evident re- 
luctance, “I think perhaps it is better that we 
should accept their notice, although I confess it 
goes much against my grain to do so.” 

" Will we go back to Simla, then ? ” inquired Kent. 

“ Why, no, my boy ; if we can’t get into Thibet, 
we shall go up to Kashmir,” responded Mr. Stan- 
nard. “We’ve got plenty of time to reach there 
before there’s any risk of being snowed up, and we 
can stay there all winter if we like.” 

“ Oh ! that will be splendid, father ! ” exclaimed 
Kent enthusiastically. “ Let us start right away.” 

There being nothing to gain by waiting, Mr. 
Stannard engaged what coolies he required, as well 
as a couple of yaks, and about the middle of the 
morning they turned back from Shipki, and re- 
traced their way to the Kamgea Fields. 

“ I’ll carry out my purpose of seeing Lh’asa yet, 
in spite of those stupid, obstinate fellows,” said Mr. 
Stannard, with considerable show of feeling, as he 
looked down at the village, and away off across the 
windy steppes of Tartary. “ That is not the only 
way of getting into the country. There’s a still 
better way through China, and some day or other, 
my boy, you and I will try it.” 


Io6 ON THE world’s ROOF 

“ All right, father,” replied Kent heartily. “ Where 
thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will 
lodge, as Kuth said to Kaomi. It would certainly 
be a great satisfaction to get to Lh’asa after the 
way we’ve been treated.” 

From Namgea Fields the way leads across the 
Sutlej river, and over a shoulder of the great 
mountain Lio Porgyul, and at the crossing of 
the Sutlej, Kent made his first acquaintance 
with a jhula in a way he was not likely to soon 
forget. 

The jhula is a kind of bridge peculiar to the 
Himalayas, and certainly not worth imitating by 
any other part of the world. It is constructed in 
this fashion. Two ropes of twisted beach- twigs 
about the thickness of a man’s thigh are stretched 
across the torrent at a distance of from four to 
six feet from each other, while between them, but 
some three feet lower, runs a similar rope, which is 
connected with the two upper ones by more slender 
ropes placed at intervals of five feet. 

The whole affair sags in the middle in a most 
unpleasant fashion, and sways to and fro alarmingly 
with every blast of the high wind which prevails 
in the Himalayas during the day. 

Now the upper ropes of this curious contrivance, 
which would seem specially intended to test the 
nerves of the wayfarers, are so thick and rough 


TURNED BACK FROM TARTARY IO7 

that they can with difficulty be grasped by the 
hand, and yet it is not safe to rest the feet on 
the lower rope except where it is supported by 
the transverse ones; while, finally, in the very 
centre of the jhula, just where the ropes are farthest 
apart, there is a cross-bar of wood to keep the two 
main ropes separate, and this has to be climbed 
over. 

The proper way to manage a jhula is to cross it 
with a continuous but not too rapid motion, suiting 
one’s step, so far as possible, to the swaying of the 
structure. 

Mr. Stannard had had many previous experiences 
with these bridges, and after explaining to Kent 
how they were to be crossed, he went ahead to 
show him the way, reaching the other side without 
difficulty. 

Taking courage from his good example, Kent 
set forth bravely, and got along all right until he 
came to the middle of the bridge, where the cross- 
bar had to be got over. As it chanced, while he 
was doing this a sudden blast of wind rushed 
roaring down the gorge, and not only made the 
jhula sway most perilously, so that Kent was 
fain to hold on for dear life, but it blew out his 
coat, and caused the tail of it to catch on a twig 
just behind him. 

Kent tried to tear himself free, but both cloth 


I08 ON THE world’s ROOF 

and twig were too strong for him, and only his 
hands could extricate him. 

His position at once became one of extreme 
peril. He could not for an instant let go the 
ropes with either hand in order to free his coat, 
yet he could not go forward another inch until 
he was free. Naturally he tried to extricate himself 
by moving backwards, but this availed nothing, 
for the strong wind had so twisted the cloth in 
among the twigs that neither forward nor back- 
ward motion had any effect upon their tenacious 
grip of it. 

For a moment he thought of getting out of 
his coat, and leaving it on the bridge, and had 
the frail structure been still for a moment, it is 
possible he might have accomplished this. But, 
instead of keeping still, it was swaying with such 
violence that poor Kent could scarcely maintain 
his position by the utmost use of both hands, and 
to let go with either for an instant was out of 
the question. 

Far below, the fierce waters of the Sutlej foamed 
and roared as if eager for their prey, and the 
tumultuous torrent made him so dizzy that he 
did not dare look down, but kept his eyes fixed 
on the brink, where his father stood in an agony 
of apprehension. 

Mr. Stannard knew not what to do in the 


TURNED BACK FROM TART ARY IO9 

emergency. He could not go to his son’s assist- 
ance, because the jliula^ already half rotten from 
long neglect, could not possibly bear their double 
weight, and for the same reason neither the Sikh 
nor the Goorkha could render any service. 

The latter had, indeed, with noble disregard of 
the risk to himself, started out on the bridge; 
but Mr. Stannard, seeing how ominously it bent, 
had ordered him to go back, lest it should break 
away altogether. 

All that Mr. Stannard could do was to cry 
cheeringly, ‘‘ Keep cool, Kent. Don’t be frightened. 
We’ll get you over all right yet ; ” and to lift up 
his heart in earnest prayer that Providence would 
indicate some way of saving his son. 

It often appears that Providence employs strange 
instruments to effect its purposes, and in this case 
the service so passionately sought came from a 
most unexpected source. Among the bearers was 
the wife of one of the zemindars, or landholders, 
who, hearing of the good wages offered by Mr. 
Stannard, had thriftily determined to earn an honest 
penny for herself. 

She was short of stature, as are nearly all Tartar 
women, but although somewhat slenderly built, 
possessed an unusual degree of strength and 
activity ; so that when Mr. Stannard, out of con- 
sideration for her sex, would have her carry only 


no ON THE world’s ROOF 

half the load of a man, she, moved probably more 
by fear of getting only half - wages than by any 
desire to assert woman’s rights, insisted upon 
being allotted a full load, which she bore with 
gay indifference. 

She had been watching Kent with deep interest, 
and wondering no doubt how he would succeed 
in extricating himself. Although she could not 
understand what Mr. Staniiard was shouting across 
the chasm, her intelligence was keen enough to 
reveal to her its purport, and presently there stirred 
within her soul a strange impulse to heroism. 

Well she knew the peril of adding even her 
light weight to that frail fabric that sagged and 
swayed so alarmingly as Kent strove to break 
loose from the twigs which held him fast. 

But even clearer was the conviction that she 
alone of all the party could venture to go to 
his assistance. Accustomed to the crossing of 
jhulas from her childhood, she thoroughly under- 
stood the business, and her experience was now 
to be put to such a test as it had never stood 
before. 

Casting aside everything that might add to 
her weight, she called out in her own language, 
“Keep still, Sahib; I am coming to help you,” 
and with extreme carefulness started out on the 
jhula. 


TUENED BACK FROM TAETARY 


III 


“ God be thanked ! ” cried Mr. Stannard fer- 
vently, clasping his hands in the agony of his 
anxiety, and bending far over the brink of the 
cliff to watch her cautious yet steady progress. 
“ If any one can help my boy, she can.” 


CHAPTER IX 

PERILS BY THE WAY 

Moving in that continuous gliding manner which 
best suits the treacherous jhula, the Tartar woman 
soon reached Kent, and with a quick, deft sweep of 
her hand, disengaged his coat from where it had 
been caught. 

“ Be quick now, Sahib,” she commanded. “ Get 
to the other side.” 

Kent needed no urging. Through it all he had 
retained his self-command remarkably well, and 
the moment he was freed he resumed the progress 
which had been so summarily stayed. 

His father’s heart stood still as he saw how the 
jhula bent beneath the double weight, but he for- 
bore to say a word. With arms outstretched, he 
stood at the end of the bridge, and the moment 
Kent was within reach he caught hold of him 
and swung him up beside him, while Champ and 
Bunty gave the best imitation of a British cheer 
they could raise. 

As soon as Kent had safely landed, the little 

XZ3 


PERILS BY THE WAY 


II3 

97oman went back for her load and brought it over, 
her homely countenance betraying no more excite- 
ment or pride than if she had done nothing out of 
the ordinary run of duty. But Mr. Stannard and 
Kent showered their warm thanks upon her; and 
the former, saying in a jocular tone, although the 
tears of grateful joy filled his eyes, “You certainly 
deserve a medal for your heroic action, you blessed 
little woman ; and you shall have one, and a gold 
one at that,” took from his pocket-book a fine spade 
guinea that he had long carried as a sort of luck- 
penny, and placed it in her hands. 

The black eyes of the brave little Tartar beamed 
with delight, and indicating by signs, as well as by 
her words, that she would never allow this precious 
coin to be spent, but would treasure it as her own 
special possession, she made it very clear that she 
considered herself quite adequately rewarded for 
her plucky service. 

Kent crossed many a jhula in the course of his 
further travels through the Himalayas, but happily 
had no repetition of his experience at this one, 
though some of them were in shocking bad 
condition, and seemed to be only awaiting the 
slightest excuse in order to tumble into the roar- 
ing torrent or hideous chasm over which they were 
flung. 

But he never forgot the passage of the Sutlej 

H 


1 14 ON THE WORLD'S ROOF 

jhula. That always remained in his memory as 
one of the most thrilling experiences of his life. 

The remainder of the party having got over 
without loss of life or baggage, the march was 
continued as far as Gyumur, a charming spot on 
the side of Lio Porgyul, nearly twelve thousand 
feet above sea-level. 

It was very pretty at Gyumur, the place having 
many terraced fields and plenty of willow- trees, 
with rills of pure water running through meads of 
soft, thick green grass. Moreover, the mountain 
gave shade from the heat of the sun, and allowed 
the travellers to spend a long, cool, pleasant after- 
noon, which they heartily appreciated after the toils 
and perils of the earlier part of the day. 

Not far from their camping-place was a large 
Lama monastery, which Mr. Stannard took Kent 
to visit. They saw a number of the Lamas, who 
showed little or no interest in the strangers, though 
some of them possibly had never seen Europeans 
before. For a moment they would lift their dark, 
dreamy eyes, and give the visitors a far-away look, 
and then drop their lids without manifesting the 
faintest degree of curiosity. 

“What a queer lot they are!” said Kent as 
they came away from the monastery. “ What 
good are they in any way, father?” 

“It would puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer to 


PERILS BY THE WAY 


II5 

answer that question, my son,” replied Mr. Stan- 
nard. “ So far as I can see, more idle, useless 
creatures than these Lamas do not exist. They do 
nothing for the good of their fellows, and they hide 
themselves away up here among the mountains, 
where even a good example, supposing they should 
set one, would be utterly wasted.” 

“ Theirs must be a very comfortable kind of re- 
ligion, though, father,” said Kent. “ If the Christian 
religion were like that, there soon wouldn't be any 
heathen left. They’d all want to be Christians.” 

“I am not so sure about that, my boy,” re- 
sponded Mr. Stannard, smiling at his son’s inference. 
“ After all, it’s only lazy, indolent, cowardly people 
who can be satisfied with Buddhism.” 

“ Oh, of course,” assented Kent. The people 
of Europe or of North America could never put up 
with such a sleepy religion. They must have some- 
thing with life in it.” 

Had the Lamas overheard this conversation, carried 
on by both speakers in a comfortable tone of superi- 
ority, it is not likely that they would have resented 
it in the least. All they wanted was to be let alone, 
and what the rest of the world might think of 
them or their religion mattered less than a grain 
of mustard-seed. 

From Gyumur to Nako the way wound along 
the top of terrific precipices running some five 


I 1 6 ON THE world’s ROOF 

thousand feet almost perpendicularly above the 
river Lee, and full fourteen thousand feet above 
sea-level. But Nako itself was prettily situated 
beside a small lake, and a comfortable camping- 
place was readily found on a grassy bank. 

Here a halt was made for a couple of days in 
order to secure a fresh lot of coolies, and to lay 
in supplies, the commissariat department being 
pretty well exhausted. 

The weather was bright and fine, and the ser- 
vants took the opportunity to indulge in various 
athletic games, which Kent entered heartily into 
and enjoyed immensely. 

It was very hot at midday, and getting well 
warmed up by their amusements, longing eyes 
were cast at the lake, that looked very inviting, 
with its clear, calm water. Kent said something 
to his father about having a dip, but Mr. Stannard 
promptly vetoed the idea. 

“ Just feel the water and see how icy cold it is,” 
he said. “ You’d be almost sure to take a cramp, 
and then the best of your swimming wouldn’t save 
you.” 

Although Kent’s own opinion was that a bath 
in the lake would do him no harm, but, on the 
contrary, would be extremely refreshing, he obeyed 
his father without protest. 

The Goorkha, however, did not take his master 


PEllILS BY THE WAY 


II7 

into his confidence as to his intention, and when 
the racing and wrestling and other sports had come 
to an end, he ran down to the lake-shore, threw 
off his clothes, and plunged into the water before 
Mr. Stannard could interfere. 

As soon as he saw Bunty's action he ordered 
him to return to the shore, but the fellow was 
splashing and snorting like a porpoise, and did 
not hear him until he had got full fifty yards from 
the shore. 

Then the deadly chill of the water, which came 
from the glaciers above, made itself felt, and he 
quickly gave up the idea he had first entertained 
of swimming to the other side of the lake. But 
on turning to retrace his way, he found himself 
suddenly stricken with a numbness that rendered 
him well-nigh helpless. It was not so much a 
cramp as an almost complete loss of power. He 
could just keep his head above water, but he could 
not make the slightest progress shoreward. 

Mr. Stannard had become somewhat incensed at 
the Goorkha failing to obey him promptly, but when 
he saw his terror-stricken countenance and heard his 
bubbling cry for help, his anger changed at once to 
sympathy. 

" Don’t lose your head now ! ” he shouted to him. 
“ Keep yourself afloat for a couple of minutes and 
I’ll get you out all right.” 


Il8 ON THE world’s ROOF 

“ You’re not going in after him, are you, father ? ” 
asked Kent anxiously, as Mr. Stannard threw off his 
coat and vest and kicked off his boots. 

“ That’s just what I am going to do, my son,” 
responded Mr. Stannard in a tone that brooked no 
argument. ‘‘ Here, lay hold of this rope, and stand 
ready to pull us ashore if necessary.” 

Mr. Stannard had caught up a long thin rope 
used in connection with the tents, and closing his 
teeth tightly over one end, he threw himself into 
the water and struck out for the Goorkha. 

With q-uick powerful strokes he made his way 
to the man, who was just about to sink, when he 
grasped him by the shoulders. 

“ Keep quiet, man,” he commanded him sternly. 
“Don’t try to take hold of me, or I’ll let you 
drown.” 

Terrified as Bunty was, he had sufficient sense 
left to obey, and submitting himself entirely to Mr. 
Stannard’s control, the latter slowly but steadily 
pushed him towards the shore. It was by no 
means an easy task, for the merciless cold of the 
glacier-fed lake laid its numbing grasp upon his 
strength also. 

Then it was that the rope, which he still held 
fast between his teeth, came into play. Kent 
had tight hold of it, and the moment he saw his 
father’s stroke slacken he began to pull upon it very 


PERILS BY THE WAY 


119 


cautiously. An approving nod from Mr. Stannard, 
who, of course, could not open his mouth to speak, 
showed him that he was doing right, and so he con- 
tinued to pull gently yet firmly, thus keeping his 
father’s head above water, and efficiently supple- 
menting his struggles, until presently both men had 
reached shallow water, and all danger was over. 

When Mr. Stannard recovered his breath, he said, 
with as merry a smile as if he had been in no 
special danger — 

“ Well done, Kent I That’s the best bit of fish- 
ing you’ve ever done. To land two men at once is 
certainly a great performance.” 

Bunty wanted to shower his thanks upon his 
rescuer, but he would have none of it. 

“Say nothing more, my man,” said Mr. Stan- 
nard ; “ I did no more than common humanity dic- 
tated ; but I hope you’ve learned a lesson in caution 
you will not speedily forget.” 

The Goorkha certainly looked as if he had. He 
was shivering with cold, and still under the influ- 
ence of his fright, and would never have been taken 
for the self-satisfied, consequential individual of but 
a few minutes previous. 

While they were at Nako, Kent’s fancy was 
taken by a huge dog that was guarding a flock of 
sheep on the mountain-side. A more superb speci- 
men of the famous Thibetan mastiff not even Mr. 


120 ON THE WORLDS ROOF 

Staniiard had ever seen, and when Kent pressed 
him eagerly to purchase it, he willingly enough 
consented. 

Strange to say, while bargaining with the owner, 
who with some difficulty was persuaded to part 
with the dog for a good round sum, the intelligent 
creature, apparently divining what was in the wind, 
suddenly set off up the mountain at the top of its 
speed, paying no heed whatever to the frantic calls 
of its master. 

Kent was greatly disappointed, fearing he would 
not see his dog again ; but the next morning, as they 
were about to resume their journey, the shepherd 
appeared dragging the dog, which resisted stoutly. 

Kent welcomed him joyously, and, in his impul- 
sive way, was about to pat the mastiff lovingly on 
the head, when the great creature snapped at him 
furiously, and he had a narrow escape from being 
badly bitten. 

“ Take care, Kent,” cried his father, in no small 
alarm. “ The brute is not to be trusted yet. You 
must win his heart first.” 

For days to come this seemed a hopeless task. 
So fierce was this dog, and so eager to use his 
teeth upon everybody within reach, that it could 
be managed only by means of a long stick fastened 
to its neck. Thus secured it was put in charge of 
the Goorkha, who had a very trying week with it. 


PERILS BY THE WAY 


I2I 


for it was continually whining and growling and 
howling, and pulling back, besides being ever on 
the alert to make a bolt back to whence it had 
come. 

For two days it utterly refused food, and then, 
overcome by hunger, it accepted some at Kent’s 
hand. Thereafter Kent fed it regularly, and thus 
won his way into the creature’s affections, until 
finally Mr. Stannard thought it safe to liberate it, 
and, sure enough, it ‘was from that hour Kent’s 
shadow by day and sentinel by night. 

In view of the new acquisition’s splendid pro- 
portions and unusual strength, Kent felt justified 
in calling him Hercules, which, as a matter of 
course, was soon shortened into Here. 

While Here became as devoted and docile to 
Kent as any spaniel, he could never be induced 
to more than tolerate the others. Towards Mr. 
Stannard he did, indeed, show a certain amount of 
respect, but no manifestation of kindness could win 
from him any really gracious response. His strange 
wild heart evidently had room for but one occupant 
at a time, and Kent now filled the place which 
had been held by the Kako shepherd. 

He was in every respect a perfect specimen of 
his kind, having a grand head, with deep-set eyes, 
many-wrinkled cheeks, and “flews” worthy of a 
bloodhound. A coat of long shaggy hair covered 


122 


ON THE WORLD’S ROOF 


his mighty frame, and he carried his large bushy 
tail curled high over his broad back as if it were 
a sign of royalty. His colour was a dense black, 
except for some tan-markings on his head and 
breast. In size he easily surpassed the biggest 
St. Bernard Kent had ever seen. 

Such was the remarkable pet Kent had secured, 
and, although he little thought it at the time, this 
animal was destined to render him signal service 
on more than one occasion before the end of their 
long journey over the roof of the world was reached. 

The first day’s travel was tolerably easy, as the 
way led over comparatively level ground and there 
were few ascents and descents to be made. But 
this pleasant condition of things did not last long, 
and for several successive days they had mighty 
hard going, so that Kent was fain to make frequent 
use of one of the yaks which they still had with 
them. 

Pushing on steadily, however, in spite of all diffi- 
culty, the travellers passed out of the dominions of 
the Eajah of Bussahir, through which they had been 
journeying, and entered the province of Chumurti, 
which belonged to Chinese Thibet. 

“We shall have to be on the look-out while we 
are in this part of the country, Kent,” said Mr. 
Stannard, “ for we are no longer under the British 
lion.” 


PERILS BY THE WAY 1 23 

"Whose country is this, then, father?” said 
Kent. “ I suppose somebody rules over it.” 

“ It’s nominally a part of the possessions of the 
Chinese dragon,” replied Mr. Stannard, " but I’m 
afraid the Son of Heaven takes very little interest 
in it, and that the inhabitants respect his authority 
only so far as seems to them good.” 

" What sort of people are they, father ? ” in- 
quired Kent. “Are they any better than those 
we have already seen ? ” 

“ No, indeed,” answered Mr. Stannard ; “ quite 
the contrary. They’re a poor lot compared to 
them. They are nomads, dwelling in tents instead 
of villages, and they have a very shady reputation, 
whether they deserve it or not. But we won’t be 
long in their territory, and will probably be across 
the border before they know we’re here.” 

“ But, father,” exclaimed Kent, eager to express 
the thought that had just occurred to him, “now 
that we are inside Chinese Thibet, why don’t we go 
ahead to L’hasa ? There is nobody to stop us, is 
there ? ” 

“No, no, my boy,” responded Mr. Stannard, 
shaking his head. “It would be great folly for 
us to try that. Our presence in the country would 
soon be discovered, and we’d be treated a good 
deal more hardly than we were at Shipki.” 

The camp that night was pitched at To-tzo, 


124 ON THE WORLD’S ROOF 

near the river-bank, and Mr. Stannard took care 
to select the location to provide as far as possible 
against a night-attack. 

‘‘It’s better to be sure than sorry,” he said. 
“ There may be nothing worse to fear than flies, 
which are such a nuisance, but ITl take no 
chance.” 

The Sikh and the Goorkha were therefore again 
detailed to keep watch by turns while the others 
slept, and Mr. Stannard saw that the rifles and 
revolvers were all loaded, and ready for immediate 
use if required. 

The night was extremely dark, and there was 
something so wild and bleak about the surround- 
ings of the camp that when a wind sprang up, and 
came moaning down the dark valley, joining its 
weird voice to the roar of the river, the effect 
upon not only Kent, but his father also, was to 
give them a feeling of uneasiness and apprehension 
that kept them awake long after their usual hour 
for sleep. 

But they were both too tired to stay awake all 
night, and shortly after Champ was heard reliev- 
ing Bunty, they both fell into a deep dreamless 
slumber. 

They had not been at rest more than an hour, 
when they were suddenly startled from their sleep 
by a wild cry of mingled terror and pain, that rang 


PEKILS BY THE WAY 


125 


high above the wailing of the wind and the dull 
roar of the river. Close upon this cry came a 
commanding shout from Champ of, “Who goes 
there ? Stay where you are, or I’ll fire.” 

And then there followed a confused chorus of 
unintelligible exclamations and guttural cries, that 
bespoke the immediate presence of a number of 
people, into whose midst the Sikh’s rifle was pre- 
sently discharged with a sharp report. 


CHAPTEK X 

MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS 

“Have you your rifle ready, and your revolver, 
Kent ? ” asked Mr. Stannard, remaining within the 
tent for a moment to make sure of his own ar- 
mament. “The Tartars are attacking us, and we 
must defend ourselves as best we can.” 

In a voice whose steadiness surprised himself, 
Kent responded, “ Yes, father, I'm all ready. Shall 
we go out ? ” 

“ I will go out, my boy ; but at first you keep 
within the protection of the tent,” said Mr. Stan- 
nard, stepping out into the night, with his rifle 
ready for instant use. 

In the meantime the uproar had been increased 
by the addition of Bunty’s deep bass voice, and by 
the frightened cries of the coolies, who had crowded 
about the tents like a flock of startled sheep. 

So dense was the darkness that nothing could be 
discerned of the midnight disturbers, although their 
strange noises continued, and they were evidently 
close at hand. 


Ta6 


MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS 


127 


It was altogether too exciting for Kent to do 
as his father had bid him, and he too stepped out 
from the tent, turning a little to the left to try 
and pierce the obscurity which added so greatly 
to the terrifying nature of the situation. As he 
did so he almost fell over Hercules, whose huge 
form he could just dimly discern as he stood over 
a dark object that was prostrate on the ground, 
and uttering pitiful moans of pain and fright. 

“ What have you here. Here ? ” asked Kent 
anxiously. “ Let me see, good dog,” and he bent 
down to examine. 

But the mastiff's only response was a savage 
growl and a crouching closer over his prey; so 
that, seeing he could do nothing, and fearing lest 
his interference would do no good, Kent moved off 
to his father's side. 

Mr. Stannard carried a repeating - rifle, and 
hoping to frighten away the marauders without 
shedding any blood, he fired three shots from this 
in close succession in the direction whence most of 
the sounds seemed to come. This fusillade, which 
Bunty supported by emptying the whole chambers of 
his revolver, produced the desired effect. There was 
a sudden cessation of the guttural cries, and then a 
sound of feet scampering in panic over the stony 
ground, followed by a silence broken only by the 
voices of the wind and the river. 


128 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


“ Thank Heaven, they’ve bolted 1 ” exclaimed Mr. 
Stannard, with a vast sigh of relief. " I wonder 
were any of them hit.” 

“I don’t know about that, father,” answered 
Kent, who through all the commotion had borne 
himself with wonderful fortitude; *‘but Here’s got 
hold of one of them. I hope he hasn’t killed him 
by this time.” 

" What’s that you say, Kent ? ” cried Mr. Stan- 
nard. “ Where is the creature ? ” Then turning to 
the Sikh, he ordered him to get a light at once. 

The lantern being brought, they went to where 
Hercules still stood guard, and found that he had 
taken captive one of the would-be robbers, and 
held him pinned to the ground as helpless as a 
mouse in the paws of a cat. Fortunately the man 
was heavily muffled about the throat, or he cer- 
tainly would have been killed. As it was his face 
was torn somewhat, and he had in his arms and 
legs such proof of the tremendous power of the 
mastiflf’s jaws as he would be a long time in for- 
getting. 

It was not an easy job to persuade Hercules to 
release his prisoner, but finally he was coaxed off, 
and then Mr. Stannard saw that the Tartar’s wounds 
had attention before questioning him as to the 
meaning of the night-attack. 

The Tartar was at first very reluctant to speak. 


midnight marauders 


129 


but after Bunty, at Mr. Stannard’s direction, stood 
over him with his terrible knife held in one hand, 
while he felt its edge meaningly with the other, the 
fellow’s tongue became unloosed, and he told the 
whole story. 

It seemed that a large band of Tartars had been 
watching Mr. Stannard’s party from the time they 
crossed the border, with the idea of making a 
night-attack, and of not only scaring them back 
into Indian territory, but also of looting the camp 
if they had the chance. 

Under cover of the midnight darkness, and trust- 
ing to the noise of the torrent to render their ap- 
proach inaudible, they had surrounded the tents in 
spite of the Sikh’s vigilance, and were just about to 
make a combined rush that would infallibly have 
effected their object, when the big mastiff, without 
giving a note of warning, had sprung upon one of 
them and borne him to the ground. 

The cry tlius forced from the captive then gave 
the alarm, and led to the failure of the plan. To 
Hercules, therefore, belonged the whole credit of 
having saved the camp. Great was Kent’s joy and 
pride on this being established. 

“ You good old dog I ” he exclaimed, hugging the 
mastiff’s huge head to his own breast, a bit of 
demonstration that the big fellow seemed not quite 
to understand. “You just saved us all, didn’t you ? 

I 


130 


ON THE world's roof 


And when we get to Kashmir you shall have the 
finest silver collar that can be made for you ; won't 
he, father ? ” 

“He will indeed, Kent,” responded Mr. Stannard 
heartily, venturing, in the enthusiasm of his grati- 
tude, to give the dog a warm pat on the head, to 
which the strange creature returned a deep grunt as 
of distant thunder. “ Bless my heart ! ” cried Mr. 
Stannard, “ he won't even let me pat him. Well, 
so long as he takes such good care of us at night I’ll 
put up with his little eccentricities, but I confess 
I’d much prefer if he’d get more sociable.” 

As early as possible the following morning the 
travellers set off again, the Tartar, who had been 
pretty well punished by Hercules, being released, with 
a warning to behave better in future, and a message 
for his people to the effect that any interference with 
or attacks upon British visitors to their country would 
bring upon them the wrath of the British Empire, 
and be a bad thing for them in every way; all of 
which he promised earnestly to remember. 

Having turned their backs upon Thibet for good, 
the travellers made their way into the province of 
Spiti, and at the end of the day camped at Lari, under 
a solitary apricot-tree, which, they were informed, 
was the only one of its kind in the whole province. 
Certainly what they could see of Spiti from their 
camp fully bore out the statement. Not a house 


MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS I31 

nor a tree, and hardly even a bush, broke the stern 
monotony of the landscape. 

“I don’t see how people can live in such a 
country,” Kent broke out, after a survey of the 
scene. “ I’m sure I should go crazy if I had to 
stay six months in it.” 

“If you didn’t quite do that you^d find it ex- 
tremely depressing, that’s certain,” said Mr. Stannard. 
“ One needs to be born, bred, and brought up in 
such a place as this to live in it with any con- 
tentment.” 

“ It’s a precious poor living that’s to be got out of 
it, too, it seems to me,” returned Kent. “ Why, I 
should think even the goats would have a hard time 
of it finding enough to eat.” 

“ Yet the people do manage to get along some- 
how, poor creatures,” said Mr. Stannard in a tone 
of sympathy. “ You ought to be thankful, Kent, 
that your lot did not lie among them.” 

“ I am indeed thankful, father,” responded Kent. 
“ I often think how lucky I’ve been to see so much 
of the beautiful part of the world as I have done, 
and to be free to spend my life where the scenery 
is fine and the people are pleasant.” 

But if the way to Lari was dreary, how much 
more so was that to Dunkar, which led through a 
series of canons and chasms that were simply appal- 
ling ! Kent was being constantly reminded of the 


132 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


Valley of the Shadow of Death as they toiled slowly 
and painfully onward. 

Their road, if such it could with any accuracy 
be called, ran along a dry water-course, cut through 
soft stratified deposits whose walls rose straight up 
to hundreds, and in some places to thousands, of 
feet in height. Though the water-course twisted 
and curved in every direction, its sides were as 
straight as if they had been cut with a knife ; while 
high up on the edges of this extraordinary ravine 
the action of the elements had worn away the strata, 
so as to form spires, and towers, and all sorts of 
fantastic shapes, some of which seemed ready to fall 
into the chasm at any moment. 

Again and again did Kent give apprehensive 
glances at these tottering towers, and exclaim, 
"Look, father! just look at that one! Wouldn’t 
you think it was coming right down on us ? ” 

The coolies showed great reluctance at passing 
through this gorge. Indeed, at one place they came 
to a full stop, and as they were bringing up the 
rear, Mr. Stannard did not know it until Bunty 
came running after him looking very indignant, 
and reported what they were about. 

Mr. Stannard knew it was not a time for 
argument or entreaty. Although he with his son 
and servants made only a quartette, while of the 
coolies there were three times that number, there 


MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS 


133 


was but one course to pursue. Taking his revolver 
in hand, and bidding Kent do the same, while the 
Sikh and Ghoorka were ordered to draw, the one 
his own sword, and the other his knife, Mr. Stan- 
nard hastened back to where the coolies had come 
to a halt. 

They visibly cowered at his presence, and looked 
quite scared though sullen ; but, saying not a word 
to them, he strode through their ranks until he was 
behind them all, Kent, Champ, and Bunty being 
beside him. 

Then, with levelled revolvers and uplifted weapons, 
the four marched in line upon the coolies, Mr. 
Stannard calling out in his most commanding tone, 
‘‘ Pick up your loads, and go on at once.” 

The terrified alacrity with which they obeyed was 
so ludicrous that Kent couldn’t refrain from burst- 
ing out into a laugh, whose infection communicated 
itself to both Champ and Bunty, although the gravity 
of Mr. Stannard’s countenance in no wise relaxed. 

Like one man the coolies snatched up their 
packs, threw them upon their shoulders, and almost 
tumbled over one another in their frantic eager- 
ness to get as far as possible from Mr. Stannard’s 
revolver. 

When they had all got started, and their backs 
were turned, Mr. Stannard gave way to a smile of 
satisfaction. 


134 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


"That’s not always the best way to deal with 
them, Kent,” said he, "but it suited the present 
occasion best. They won’t get over their scare 
before we reach Dunkar, and there I’ll discharge 
the whole batch, and engage a fresh lot.” 

They reached Dunkar before sundown, and found 
it as remarkable in its way as the path by which 
they had approached it. The town was perched a 
thousand feet above the Lee river, on the ledges 
and towers of an immense ridge of soft strata, 
which broke off with a sudden fall, after affording 
ground for the fort, houses, and Lama temples of 
Dunkar. 

The result was so extraordinary, not to say 
picturesque, that it was the most natural thing in 
the world for Kent, when he came in sight of it, to 
exclaim — 

" What a queer place for a town ! What 
ever possessed people to build up there ? Have 
the inhabitants wings, or do they use flying- 
machines ? ” 

"I don’t imagine they have either, Kent,” answered 
Mr. Stannard. "Their reason for choosing so strange 
a site for their town was probably twofold. They 
wanted to be quite safe from attack, and it was 
the only tolerably level spot they could find in 
the whole neighbourhood.” 

"I should think they’d need to keep a sharp 


MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS 


135 


watch on their children when they begin running 
about on their own account,” said Kent, " for if 
any of them were to fall over the precipice it would 
be the end of them, surely.” 

“I am afraid the parents wouldn’t take that 
very much to heart, Kent,” responded Mr. Stannard 
gravely. “They’re none too fond of their little 
ones in this part of the country.” 

But if Dunkar was strikingly picturesque in 
its situation, it had nothing else to recommend it, 
being so dirty and miserable in every way that 
Mr. Stannard camped at some distance, for fear of 
carrying away too many of its smallest and most 
active inhabitants. 

He had no difficulty in securing a fresh lot of 
coolies, the muhea, or functionary whose duty it 
was to look after travellers, being very polite, and 
anxious to please ; and the next morning the journey 
was resumed at an improved rate of speed. 

Before leaving Dunkar, Mr. Stannard purchased 
two of the Spiti ghunts, a species of small horse 
famous for their unfailing sure-footedness, their saga- 
city, and their ability to carry their riders safely 
up and down the most dangerous and fatiguing 
paths. 

Kent was greatly pleased at this new acquisition. 
His father gave him his choice of them, and he 
selected the smaller of the two, a shaggy little mare 


136 ON THE world's ROOF 

with flowing tail and mane, from either side ol 
whose heavy forelock there gleamed as bright and 
kindly an eye as ever a pony possessed. He called 
her by the first syllable of the land of her birth, 
and now that he had Spy and Hercules to take 
care of him between them, he felt very well looked 
after indeed. 

One day’s riding was sufficient to prove Spy a 
perfect treasure. No matter how rough the path, 
she could pick her way steadily along it, and the 
cleverness with which she would keep her footing 
through a wild confusion of boulders was a wonder 
to witness. 

The travellers now had before them difficulties 
of the most formidable kind. At Dunkar, which 
was the capital of Spiti Province, they were some 
thirteen thousand feet above sea-level, and they 
had passed through some woefully desolate and 
dreary country to reach it ; yet they were soon to 
climb to still loftier altitudes, and to traverse still 
wilder and lonelier stretches of country. 

Between Dunkar and Loisar there were several 
very shaky sang^pas to be crossed, which would 
have brought any ordinary horse to a full stop. 
Then the one at Kazeh had for its central span 
three logs laid side by side, without railing of any 
kind, and overlaid with loose branches that made 
the footing very treacherous. Yet the Spiti ponies 


MIDNIGHT MARAUDEKS 


137 


went over it without a slip, and seemed rather to 
like the job, the roaring of the river far below 
having no effect whatever on their nerves. 

At Loisar, which is one of the highest villages 
in the world, being nearly fourteen thousand feet 
above the level of the sea, the nights were so cold 
that Mr. Stannard was glad to exchange his tent 
for a small house provided by the Indian Govern- 
ment for the benefit of travellers. 

Though built of mud, it was dry and clean, and 
in view of the rain which fell during the night, 
proved a particularly welcome refuge. 

But Hercules would have none of it, in spite of 
Kent’s coaxings. He insisted upon staying outside 
the door, and as this exposed him to attacks from 
the dogs of the village, he had to defend himself 
all night long, so that the noise of his growling and 
barking proved the reverse of soporific. Indeed, 
the situation became so acute more than once, that 
Kent was fain to get up and endeavour to secure 
silence, though without any permanent result. 

Beyond Loisar lay a wild stretch of country 
where there were no villages, no houses, and no 
wood, so that it was necessary for the party to take 
supplies of every kind along with them. This 
meant an increase of their force of coolies, and, 
owing to the impossibility of getting as many 
men as were required, Mr. Stannard had to employ 


138 ON THE world’s ROOF 

half-a-dozen women, who were only too glad to 
have the opportunity of earning a little money. 

Mr. Stannard also took along with him a small 
flock of milch goats and a couple of sheep, the latter 
to be turned into mutton en route. So that, what 
with coolies, ponies, goats, sheep, and the mastiff, 
quite an imposing caravan was made up. 

Kent, riding at the head of it by his father’s side, 
felt like the aide-de-camp to the commander of an 
army expedition, and tried to put on the airs of a 
cavalry-man ; to which, however, the irregular pace 
of his pony was ill adapted, and he soon tired of 
the amusement. 

Up the difficult Kansum pass they toiled, cross- 
ing the summit at a height of fifteen thousand feet, 
and then descended into the Shigri valley, so ap- 
propriately called the " Valley of Glaciers.” As far 
as the eye could reach nothing but banks of snow 
and ice were to be seen, and the great ice-serpents 
crept over into the valley from every direction. 

“ Bare is it, without house or track, and destitute 
of obvious shelter as a shipless sea,” said Mr. Stan- 
nard, after gazing about him. " I hope well not 
have to be long in this dreadful valley.” 

“I hope not, indeed, father,” responded Kent, 
with a significant shiver. “It’s the worst place 
we’ve got into yet.” 

Had they known as they spoke the kind of 


MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS 


139 


reception the monsoon was already preparing for 
them among the mountain-tops, and what suffer- 
ings they were to endure ere they left the Shigri 
valley behind, they might have expressed them- 
selves in still stronger terms. 


CHAPTER XI 


IN THE VALLEY OF GLACIERS 

During the afternoon the heavens had been wear- 
ing threatening looks, which finally, towards sunset, 
fulfilled their menace by a storm of wind and rain 
and snow, that broke fiercely upon the travellers. 
The thermometer sank thirty degrees in as many 
minutes, and there was scarcely time to put up the 
tents ere the full fury of the elements revealed 
itself. 

From the interior of a comfortable house the 
sight would have been very grand indeed, as the 
storm-clouds rolled in great masses down from the 
snowy peaks, enveloping mountain and valley in 
their fleecy folds. But with only the thin walls of 
a tent for protection, the sublimity of the scene 
offered poor compensation for the misery involved, 
and Kent found it very hard to keep from 
grumbling. 

Yet how much better off was he than the poor 
coolies, who, without any shelter whatever from 
the inclemency of the weather, had to manage as 


IN THE VALLEY OF GLACIEES I41 

best they could, crouching close together about a 
big fire and saying not a word, whatever they felt ! 
The sight of them sealed Kent’s lips, and he made 
no complaints, enduring cheerfully the discomforts 
of the situation. 

Mr. Stannard’s face had an usually grave look 
that evening. He had hoped to get through the 
dreaded Sliigri valley without having to face a 
snow-storm, it being very early in the season for 
snow. But now that one had come, there was no 
telling how many more might follow in its train, 
and a succession of such storms might mean his 
having to retrace his way, if nothing worse. 

“ I confess I don’t like the look of things at all, 
Kent,” said he as they sat together over the dinner, 
which, in spite of all difficulties, the Sikh and 
Goorkha had managed between them to prepare. 
“ I shall not breathe freely until we are clear of 
this miserable place.” 

“There’s no fear of our being snowed up here, 
is there, father ? ” asked Kent, with some apprehen- 
sion in his tone. 

“ Oh, it is not likely to turn out so bad as that,” 
replied Mr. Stannard. “But you know every day 
counts if we would reach Kashmir before winter, 
which sets in so early in these mountains, and 
that’s what is bothering me most.” 

“ And will you go ahead to-morrow morning 


142 ON THE world’s ROOF 

even if it is still snowing ? ” inquired Kent hoping 
that the reply would be in the negative, for he 
shrank from the idea of facing such a storm. 

“ Certainly,” responded Mr. Stannard resolutely. 

We must push ahead as best we can. There’s 
nothing to be gained by staying here.” 

The snow continued to fall heavily all night, and 
by morning it was nearly a foot deep. The coolies 
were very reluctant to advance. They besought 
Mr. Stannard to turn back, assuring him that they 
knew another pass over the mountains that was 
quite free from snow. 

But Mr. Stannard was one of those men who, 
having put their hand to the plough, are not to be 
easily turned back ; and, moreover, he had good 
reason to believe that the inducement of a better 
route was not founded upon fact. So the orders 
were given to go ahead, and the coolies had no 
alternative but to obey. 

The tramping through the snow was toilsome 
work, and Kent’s heart was full of pity for the 
female carriers, although he could do nothing to 
help them. 

Soon after midday they came to a place where 
a glacier reached right down to the river, and it 
was necessary to cross its foot, for there was no 
flanking it. 

Then did Kent have striking proof of the won- 


IN THE VALLEY OF GLACIERS 1 43 

derful powers of the Spiti pony he rode. The 
glacier was thickly covered with slabs of slate, 
intermingled with boulders of granite and gneiss, 
while here and there yawned gaping crevasses open- 
ing into unknown depths. The way the clever little 
mare carried her young rider across the glacier was 
almost too wonderful to be believed without being 
witnessed. Up and down the ridge of ice, and 
over the great rough blocks of granite and the 
treacherous slabs of slate, she went without a step 
or stumble. She would spring from one boulder 
to another like an ibex, in spite of the burden she 
bore, and she faltered not at fathomless crevasses, 
although there was nothing better than a slippery 
slope to spring from, and a sharply slanting block 
of stone to land upon. 

Once it seemed as if her marvellous skill had 
failed her, for in descending some high steps in 
the rock her feet slipped, and it seemed as if 
she must go over the precipice ; so that Mr. 
Stannard, who saw it all, cried aloud for fear, 
and Kent for the moment shut his eyes in sheer 
terror. 

Yet were not Spy’s resources at an end. Drop- 
ping upon her knees for an instant, she thereby 
checked her fall, and then, with an indescribable 
sort of side-spring, recovered her footing again, and 
went on as if nothing had happened. 


144 


ON THE world's ROOE 


Again and again was Kent moved to exclaim in 
admiration and pride of his pony's achievements — 
“ Hurrah for you, Spy ! You're game for any- 
thing. There's not a steeplechaser in England 
could match you at this.” 

They halted at midday for lunch, and having 
carefully selected a place where they were shel- 
tered from the wind, were just in the middle of 
their meal, when the ice beneath the stones on 
which they were seated gave a startling crack, and 
the stones themselves began to sink so rapidly that 
there was a ludicrously hasty scramble for solid 
ground. 

“ Why, what's the meaning of this ? ” cried Mr. 
Stannard, when he had seen to it that not only 
the different members of his party, but the lunch- 
things also, were out of danger. “ Have we been 
resting near the mouth of a crevasse ? ” 

A careful examination showed that this was 
precisely what they had done. Their resting-place 
was right between the lips of a crevasse which had 
become blocked up with stones, and it was a 
miracle that they had escaped without injury. 

Soon after they set out again the snow, which 
had held off since the previous night, returned in 
full force, and they had to face a blinding storm 
that opposed every step of their progress. The 
storm would have been bad enough in itself had 


IN THE VALLEY OF GLACIEES 


145 


the going been in any wise tolerable, but it was, if 
possible, worse than ever. The road was literally 
frightful, leading as it did over great boulders, with 
scarcely a pretence of a track. Here it followed 
the bed of the Chandra river, and there it climbed 
its steep stony banks, while again it wound along 
the edge of precipices on paths fit only for wild 
goats. 

And finally, to make matters worse, there were 
a number of glacier-fed streams to be forded, whose 
icy waters brought plaintive cries from the women 
that made Mr. Stannard repent having been per- 
suaded into engaging them as carriers. 

For several hours the travellers floundered and 
fought their way through the storm, and then, late 
in the afternoon, they were brought to a halt by 
the native who was acting as guide making the 
startling announcement that he had lost his way, 
and would not go any farther that day. Mr. 
Stannard reasoned with him and threatened him 
to no avail ; not even a revolver held at his head 
had any effect. He was tired out and utterly 
despondent owing to the numbing influence of the 
cold, and seemed quite prepared to die rather than 
proceed. 

In this emergency the only thing to be done 
was to look round for some sheltered place where 
they might camp for the night. 

E 


146 ON THE world’s ROOF 

After some searching about, a kind of cave under 
an overarching precipice was discovered, and here, 
in default of anything better, they went into camp. 
The tents could not be put up for lack of a suffi- 
ciently level space, and Mr. Stannard and Kent 
therefore had to share in the sufferings of the 
others, which were by no means to be made 
light of. 

That long night of misery was one never to be 
forgotten. Without pause or rest the storm raged 
and roared, sending the snow in flying wreaths 
into the farthest corner of the cave, and making 
it difficult to maintain the fire which Bunty had, 
with infinite pains, succeeded in lighting. 

Kent found his big mastiff a better friend than 
even his own father that night; for, while Mr. 
Stannard had all he could do to keep his own 
blood in circulation, Hercules not only kept him- 
self warm, but by allowing his young master to 
curl up close to his great furry body, afforded him 
a protection from the cold that greatly mitigated 
his misery. 

“ You dear old chap ! ” he murmured, as he 
nestled against the mastiff’s side. " How glad I 
am I’ve got you! You’re the best dog that ever 
breathed.” 

The longest night, however, must come to an 
end, and this dreadful one did finally drag itself 


IN THE VALLEY OF GLACIERS 1 47 

away without any actual catastrophe, althougli 
several of the coolies got painful frost-bites, and 
even Mr. Stannard had to confess that another 
such experience would certainly cause him to give 
up his plan and return to India. 

But happily the Shigri valley had done its 
worst. The following day was bright and clear, 
and although the fallen snow made the walking 
heavy and toilsome, by midday the travellers had 
left the valley behind, and got into an entirely 
different region, where there was grass in abun- 
dance, and clumps of willow-trees, the sight of 
which was exceedingly refreshing after the desola- 
tion of the “Valley of Glaciers.” 

Late in the afternoon Kent came near losing 
his life while going down some natural steps that 
skirted the edge of a tremendous precipice. 

He was riding Spy, because he had come to put 
more faith in the little mare’s sure-footedness than 
in his own, and had got along very well, in spite 
of the extreme difficulty of the descent, until the 
last step was reached. 

Here, just at the most critical moment, when 
Spy had planted both her fore-feet upon the ledge, 
and Kent was leaning back as far as he could, 
holding her in with all his might, the crupper gave 
way, and the saddle slid forward on to the pony’s 
neck, thus upsetting the animal’s balance. 


148 


ON THE world's ROOF 


Well was it then for both rider and horse that the 
former was no less quick of wit than strong of arm. 

There was only one possible thing to be done 
to save both from destruction, and that one thing 
Kent saw and did. Throwing himself off the 
saddle on to the ledge, he drew the little mare 
down after him by tightly grasping her mane, and 
the intelligent creature, seeming to clearly realise, 
kept perfectly still until Obamp came up and 
rescued both from their perilous situation. 

Although sorely bruised by the fall, Kent was 
greatly elated at having by his prompt action saved 
not only his own life, but his beloved Spy’s also. 

Mr. Stannard,who was some little way ahead, knew 
nothing of the occurrence until it was all over, but 
when he heard about it he praised Kent warmly. 

** Your quickness of decision and action is a very 
valuable quality, my boy,” said he, regarding him 
fondly. “In this case it meant the difference 
between picking up a mangled corpse from the 
bottom of the ravine and having you before me 
none the worse save for a few bruises. I think 
there must be some fine future in store for you, 
Kent; you get out of your scrapes and perils so 
triumphantly.” 

“I’m sure I don’t know anything about the fine 
future, father,” responded Kent. “But I know 
this, that I’m not at all anxious to lose my life up 


IN THE VATXEY OF GLACIERS 1 49 

here in the Himalayas, and that I’m going to take 
the best care of myself that I can.” 

After leaving the Shigri valley the travellers had 
some tremendous climbing to do in their journey 
over the Shinkal pass, the crest of which was an 
enormous glacier. In this glacier wer«* innumer- 
able narrow crevasses, many of them concealed by 
white honeycombed ice, and the greatest care had 
to be exercised in going ahead. 

Here the Goorkha proved himself simply invalu- 
able. He seemed to be able to divine the proxi- 
mity of a crevasse by some instinct not possessed 
by any of the others, and over and over again 
saved the party from accident by his timely warn- 
ings. He evidently took great pride in his sagacity, 
hailing the location of each crevasse with as much 
lively satisfaction as if it were a decided advantage 
instead of a drawback, necessitating, as it usually 
did, a more or less lengthy detour. 

The summit of the pass was not less than 
eighteen thousand feet high, and the effect upon 
the climbers of this great altitude, and the rarity 
of the atmosphere, was to set many of them 
bleeding at the nose, and to render exertion very 
difficult. 

Kent was quite sure he never could have got 
across but for Spy, upon whose energy neither 
the difficult going nor the rarity of the air seemed 


150 ON THE world's ROOF 

to have any effect. As it was, his nose bled pro- 
fusely, and he found it so hard to breathe that he 
vowed he would suffocate if they did not soon get 
down to lower ground. 

Near the summit of the pass lay a great glacial 
lake, which they had to cross, and they halted for 
their midday rest at its centre. 

“Here now, Kent,” said Mr. Stannard, “is the 
home of eternal winter — the region of perpetual 
snow. How would you like to spend your life 
here ? ” 

Kent looked about him, and gave a shudder, so 
expressive as to render words superfluous. Cer- 
tainly human imagination could scarcely conceive a 
scene more savagely dreary and desolate, withal so 
grandly beautiful. 

From all sides of the glacial lake rose the snow- 
slopes, a thousand feet or more in height, and 
dazzling white in their unsullied purity ; while 
above them towered vast overhanging walls of 
stratified ice, from which every few moments huge 
masses would detach themselves, and come plung- 
ing down the slopes with the rattle and roar of 
an avalanche. There was absolutely nothing to 
relieve the stern sublimity of Nature, entrenched 
in her citadel of unchanging cold. 

It began to snow before the travellers got off 
the glacier, and when they had descended a few 


IN THE VALLEY OF GLACIERS 151 

hundred feet it was snowing so heavily on the 
ice-lake that, had they still been there, they could 
not have seen more than two yards before their 
faces, and consequently would have been in inces- 
sant danger of falling into one of the innumerable 
crevasses. 

Happily, however, that danger was now past, and 
they could make good speed with easy minds. 

The following day found them well within the 
borders of the mysterious province of Zanskar, 
whither few Europeans had ever preceded them. 

“ I am not at all sure as to the kind of recep- 
tion we shall get in this region, Kent,” said Mr. 
Stannard. “ There is very little known about the 
people or country and from what I have been able 
to learn, they’re not at all anxious to become 
better known, so that I won’t be surprised if 
we find them inclined to be inhospitable. But 
we won’t stay any longer in their province than 
we can help, and perhaps they’ll treat us decently 
enough.” 

Certainly, if the people were anything like as 
extraordinary as the land in which they lived, they 
were a queer lot. 

The mountains of Zanskar presented ever- 
changing views of the most weird and astonish- 
ing character. There were castles, spires, domes, 
and needles of solid rock, and mighty bastions that 


152 ON THE world's ROOF 

looked exactly as if they had been shaped by some 
gigantic hand. 

Kent, reminded by them of the fairy tales of 
his childhood, exclaimed, with mingled wonder and 
delight, “ Why, look, father, isn’t that like a grand 
castle ? I’m afraid Jack the Giant-Killer would 
have had a harder time of it if he’d had to attack 
such a stronghold as that ; wouldn’t he ? ” 

Not only was the formation of these mountains 
marvellously varied, but their tints and colours 
were almost bewildering in their richness and 
variety. Green, purple, orange, brown, black, and 
yellow abounded, and there were other shades not 
so prominent, yet to be discerned by the care- 
ful eya 

Over all rose the intensely blue vault of heaven, 
from which the sunlight poured in dazzling splen- 
dour, working out wonderful effects in light and 
shadow with the aid of the surrounding mountain- 
peaks. 

After passing down the valley for several hours, 
the first village of Zanskar came into sight. It 
was not a large place, yet the number of yaks 
and ponies pasturing in the fields adjoining seemed 
to betoken the presence of a good many people. 

The approach of Mr. Stannard’s party evidently 
created a sensation in the valley, and the in- 
habitants could be seen moving excitedly about 


IN THE VALLEY OF GLACIERS 1 53 

and gathering in little groups, which presently 
combined into one band, and came out to meet 
the strangers. 

“ Now,” said Mr. Standard, his countenance indi- 
cating some concern, “ we will soon know what the 
people of Zanskar are going to do with us.” 

“ They don’t look particularly friendly,” said 
Kent, after an anxious scrutiny of the approach- 
ing throng. “ What’ll we do if they turn us back, 
as they did at Shipki ? ” 


CHAPTEE XII 

WITH THE HIMALAYAN HIGHLANDERS 

At first glance the Zanskar folks looked so like 
a party of Highlanders that Mr. Stannard was led 
to exclaim, “ Why, one would think we were in 
Scotland ! Just see their tartans, Kent.” 

Not only the appearance of the men, who had 
tall, athletic forms, long faces, and aquiline noses, 
but the clothes they wore, certainly bore a striking 
resemblance to the clans of Auld Scotia. 

If there were no kilts, there were plaids in 
abundance, and great variety of patterns; both 
men and women wearing them, and fastening 
them up with brooches, as did the Macgregors 
and Campbells of the other land. 

The men, who kept well to the front, the women 
following behind evidently from pure curiosity, 
were stern and warlike of countenance, and armed 
with matchlocks and swords, which would render 
them formidable foes in the event of a fight. 

“ There’ll be no frightening these fellows, Kent,” 

said Mr. Stannard. “ We’ll have to make our way 
154 


WITH THE HIMALAYAN HIGHLANDEKS 1 55 

by diplomatic means if we're going to get ahead 
at all.” 

When the two parties were about a hundred 
yards apart Mr. Stannard halted, and the Zanskar 
folks did the same. 

By Mr. Stannard's instructions, one of the Ugar- 
ries, or carriers, who claimed to be familiar with 
the dialect of the country, then went ahead to 
arrange for a conference. He was met half-way 
by the Talukdar, or principal man of the village, 
who, still wearing a stern look, began to question 
him as to who the Sahibs were, and what they were 
doing in Zanskar. 

The higarrg, finding the questions pour in too 
fast upon him for his poor wits, appealed to Mr. 
Stannard, who then came forward, and using the 
carrier as an interpreter, explained the purpose of 
his coming and the composition of his party. He 
did this with the utmost courtesy, being anxious to 
make the best possible impression upon the Talukdar. 

This official listened to him with grave atten- 
tion, and then, signifying that he should not 
advance any farther, returned to his own people 
to report what he had heard, and to consult with 
them as to the reception of the strangers. 

“ I wish we could make out what they're saying, 
father,” said Kent, as they watched the conference 
with eager eyes. 


156 ON THE world’s ROOF 

But the people were talking with such earnest- 
ness that it was impossible to guess from their 
manner how their decision might go, and of course 
even if their words had been audible they would 
not have been intelligible. 

It must have been full fifteen minutes before 
the consultation ended, and then the Talukdar 
once more approached. This time coming right up 
to Mr. Stannard, he held out to him a rupee. At 
once the shadow of anxiety fled from Mr. Stan- 
nard’s countenance, and bowing low, he said — 

“ I thank you with all my heart, Talukdar, and 
shall pay liberally for whatever I or my men may 
require of you.” 

Which, being translated by the higarryy caused 
the hitherto grave face of the mountaineer to relax 
into a gracious smile, and returning the bow, he 
indicated by a wave of his hand that the way to 
the village was open. 

As they moved forward in response to this invita- 
tion Kent asked his father what the giving of the 
rupee meant. 

“Oh,” replied Mr. Stannard, “that was humr^ 
an act of obeisance. By it he meant that every- 
thing in the village was at our command.” 

Kent laughed out loud in his relief and joy at 
this turn of affairs. 

“ Why,” he cried, “ they’re only too glad to be 


WITH THE HIMALAYAN HIGHLANDERS 1 57 

friends, and yet we were worrying ourselves as to 
how they would treat us.” 

The people of Kharjak proved thoroughly hospi- 
table and kind. Not only was Mr. Staiinard able 
to secure without difficulty all the carriers he 
needed for the next stage of his journey, but as 
many more insisted upon accompanying them, and 
helping to carry their burdens out of pure kindness, 
without any expectation of pay. 

Although nearly fourteen thousand feet high, 
Kharjak was inhabited all the year round, and its 
inhabitants seemed to live in tolerable comfort, de- 
spite the scarcity of good soil in the neighbourhood. 

Kent was much interested by the Choten and 
Mani, of which there were a great many round 
about Kharjah. 

** What on earth can they want with such a lot of 
sacred buildings ? ” he exclaimed, half indignant at 
such a foolish waste of work and material. “ One- 
quarter of them would surely be enough. There 
must be one apiece for every man, woman, and 
child in the place ! ” 

The Choten were nearly solid edifices composed 
of large square platforms, placed one above another, 
and surrounded by the larger half of an inverted 
cone, which supported a tapering pillar bearing a 
sacred emblem. They were usually the receptacles 
for the relics of departed saints, and some had eyes 


158 


ON THE WOBLD’s ROOF 


painted roughly upon them, thereby indicating that 
they were dedicated to Buddha, " the eye of the 
universe.” 

The Mani were quite different, being simply long 
dikes of stones, many of the stones being inscribed 
or sculptured. They varied in length from thirty 
to a thousand feet, and were usually about five 
feet in height and ten in breadth. The favourite 
inscription on these Mani was the Lama prayer, 
“ Om mani pad me Jiaun” which is so constantly in 
the mouths of the Thibetans. 

" What do those words mean, father ? ” Kent 
asked. “ They never seem to have put anything 
else on their walls.” 

I can tell you what their literal translation is, 
Kent,” replied Mr. Stannard. " It is simply, ‘ 0 
God ! the jewel in the Lotus, amen ! ’ But what the 
people understand by it, and why they think saying 
it over and over again can do them any good, is 
more than I can tell you. You had better ask the 
first Lama you meet. He may be able to explain 
it all” 

Fully determined to get to the bottom of the 
matter if possible, Kent, at the first opportunity, 
cross- questioned a Lama by the aid of one of the 
carriers. But when the Lama, in reply, poured 
forth a flood of words which completely paralysed 
the poor bigarry's powers of translation, Kent was 


WITH THE HIMALAYAN HIGHLANDERS 1 59 

fain to confess defeat, and to leave the mystery of 
the Thibetan prayer unsolved. 

Between Kharjak and Padam, the capital of the 
province of Zanskar, the travelling was compara- 
tively easy, except for the crossing of two rivers, 
the Kharjak Chu and the Tsarap Lingti. 

The first of these had to be forded, there being 
not even a jhula across it, and the stream was so 
broad and swift that a person going alone would 
infallibly have been swept away. The whole party 
therefore joined hands, and thus sustaining one 
another, got across in safety, although the Sikh 
came near creating a panic by losing his footing 
in mid-stream, and almost pulling down those next 
him in his violent efforts to regain it. 

The passage of the second river proved still more 
exciting. Here there was nothing but a single 
rope suspended across the rapid torrent, like a 
strand from a spider’s web. 

When Kent saw it he exclaimed, with a puzzled 
laugh, “ Who’s going to walk that rope ? Why, it 
isn’t even tight! Or do you get across by going 
hand -over-hand ? ” 

“Neither way, my boy,” said Mr. Stannard. 
“There are more ways of killing a cat than by 
amputating her tail behind her ears. Do you see 
that little rope running alongside the big one? 
Well, take hold of that and pull.” 


l6o ON THE WOllLD'S ROOF 

Kent did as he was bid, and in response to his 
pulling there came over from the other side a sort of 
single trapeze, which ran freely along the big rope. 

“ Kow,” said his father, " get into that thing, hold 
on tight, and you’ll be on the other side before you 
can say Jack Eobinson.” 

With some little quaking of heart Kent obeyed, 
and as soon as he was settled on the wooden bar 
Mr Stannard let go, and the slope of the rope being 
pretty sharp, he flew across to the other bank with 
the swoop of a bird. 

The experience was so exhilarating that Kent 
would have liked very well to repeat it, but the 
whole party had to be got over, and the horses 
across beside, and there was no time to spare, so 
he was fain to content himself with the hope that 
there were similar bridges ahead. 

“ I like it ever so much better than those horrid 
jhulas” he said emphatically. “ They always make 
my heart beat as if it wanted to jump out of my 
body.” 

They reached Padam early in the afternoon, and 
found it the largest village they had seen since 
leaving inhospitable Shipki. Being the capital of 
the province, it was the residence of the Thanadar, 
who governed in the name of the Maharajah of 
Kashmir, and who had a small force of horse and 
foot soldiers to support his dignity 


WITH THE HIMALAYAN HIGHLANDERS l6l 

Mr. Stannard at once set out to call upon this 
olficial, taking Kent and the Sikh and Goorkha 
along with him. They were very civilly received, 
and Mr. Stannard given to understand that what- 
ever he required would be furnished him. 

Wishing to make some study of the place and its 
people, Mr. Stannard decided to remain for a few 
days, and so the camping-place was moved from 
the first location, which was not at all desirable, 
to a fine grassy terrace, where an immense rock 
afforded welcome protection from the almost cease- 
less wind. 

Kent was very glad of the stay. He was grow- 
ing weary of the continuous travelling, and the 
prospect of three or four days’ rest in one place 
was quite to his mind. 

The morning after their arrival he mounted Spy, 
and, accompanied only by Hercules, set out to explore 
the town. There was not much to be seen. The 
houses were all of stone, and as alike as peas in a 
pot ; low, square, solid buildings, with flat roofs and 
few windows, not at all attractive as dwellings. 
The streets were narrow and crooked, and there 
seemed to be no shops, although there must have 
been such establishments somewhere, even if Kent 
could not find them. 

“I just wish I could light upon a candy-store,” 
said he to himself, jingling some coins in his pocket. 

L 


i 62 


ON THE world's ROOF 


“ How I should enjoy a pound of good candy ! It 
seems a perfect age since I tasted any,” and he 
smacked his lips in regretful recollection of his 
last blow-out. 

But there was manifestly no candy to be had 
for love or money, and giving up the town in 
disgust, he rode out into the outskirts, where he 
presently came upon a herd of horses tended by 
several boys of about his own age. The horses 
were of the small sturdy kind usually found in 
the mountains, and as he watched them grazing 
contentedly on the rank grass there came into his 
head a scheme which he proceeded to act upon 
without delay. 

He was in quest of diversion. What could be 
more diverting than a good pony-race ? His little 
Spy was far from being a slow-coach. Perhaps 
she might prove more than a match for the pick 
of the herd. At all events if she didn't there 
would be some fun in having a trial of speed. 

But how was he to make himself understood to 
the boys in charge of the herd ? They could not 
speak a word of English, and he was no less ignorant 
of Zanskarese. 

How it was managed it would be hard to explain. 
When Kent first attempted to hold converse with 
the boys they seemed scared, and crowded together 
in a silent, constrained group. But when he, in 


WITH THE HIMALAYAN HIGHLANDERS 163 

nowise disconcerted by their shyness, continued to 
speak earnestly and to indicate by pantomime what 
he was driving at, the subtle freemasonry that pre- 
vails among boys the world over helped him out, 
and presently the brightest of the group began to 
nod his head as though to say, “ Oh, I understand 
you now,” and after a few words to his oompanions, 
went towards the band of ponies. 

He caught one without difficulty, and springing 
upon his back, rode up alongside Kent . with a 
smiling face. 

Kent smiled cordially in return, and forgetting 
for the moment that they could not understand 
each other’s speech, asked him, “Kow, where shall 
we run to ? You know the best course.” 

The boy shook his head to show that he did 
not comprehend, whereupon Kent once more had 
recourse to pantomime. By dint of many grimaces 
and much gesturing Kent at length succeeded in 
making his meaning clear, and then the boy pointed 
out a stunted willow-tree about a quarter of a mile 
away, and by an expressive swoop of his hand 
suggested that they should ride around that and 
back. 

Kent having signified his consent to this, the 
boy had a brief but earnest conference with his 
companions, and then ranged up beside Kent, sig- 
nifying that he was ready for the race. 


164 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


He had no saddle, and a bit of rope was his 
only bridle, but he sat the pony as if he was a 
part of it, and Kent realised that his own better 
equipment would count for little. 

The course was over a stone-strewed level that 
it would have been sheer madness to send any 
ordinary horse across at full speed. But neither 
Kent nor the young Zanskarite had any fears for 
their mounts. They had no less entire confidence 
in them than in themselves, and they looked as 
composedly at the rough and dangerous stretch of 
ground as if it had been a smoothly turfed racecourse. 

The start was by mutual consent. The riders 
just gave one glance at each other by way of a 
signal, and then off they pelted, the four pairs of 
hoofs rattling over the stones like so many cas- 
tanets. Little Spy entered into the spirit of the 
contest with all her heart; so much so, indeed, 
that if Kent had let her have her own way she 
would have extended herself to the utmost from 
the very start. 

But he knew better than to allow her to do this. 
Though the course was little more than half-a-mile 
in length, it was too rough to be galloped over at 
top speed. He therefore put a strong pull on Spy, 
and kept her back while the other pony shot past, 
its rider seeming to have no other thought than to 
get as far ahead as possible. 


WITH THE HIMALAYAN HIGHLANDERS 1 65 

“ Easy now, Spy — easy, my girl,” said Kent 
soothingly. “ He’s going too hard to hold out. 
We’ll catch him time enough.” 

The Zanskarite, by dint of urging his pony to 
the utmost, had got a lead of full twenty yards be- 
fore they reached the tree. But a good half of this 
he lost in making the turn, Kent’s bridle giving 
him so much better control over his steed, and 
when they straightened out for home not more 
than ten yards separated them. 

Kent now gave his pony the reins and clapped 
his heels to her sides, shouting cheerily, “ Away 
with you, Spy ! Catch up to him, quick ! ” Half- 
way to the finish the boys were side by side, and 
Kent was already beginning to count the victory, 
when a most provoking thing happened. 

Hercules had hitherto been bounding along be- 
side Spy, barking lustily, but making no attempt to 
interfere. Just at this critical point in the race, 
however, it somehow got into his big head that 
his friend the pony needed encouragement, and 
the way he proceeded to impart it was by getting 
in front of her and springing at her head, mean- 
while sending forth explosive barks that would 
have shaken the nerves of a mule. 

In vain did Kent shout fiercely, “Down, Here, 
down ! Get out of the way, will you ? ” and aim 
fierce blows at him with his riding-whip. 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


1 66 

The mastiff, instead of being checked by this, 
only jumped and barked the harder, and of course 
his foolish action could not fail to impede the 
progress of the pony, the result being that, greatly 
to Kent’s chagrin, he was beaten by a couple of 
lengths. 

The Zauskar boys were highly elated at the 
victory of their entry for this improvised race, but 
Kent was furious. 

Had Hercules not interfered he would have won 
hands down, he felt confident, and nothing would 
satisfy him but another race. 

To his great disgust, the Zanskarites refused. 
They were too well content with their first success 
to try again, and having tired himself out endea- 
vouring to change their mind, Kent was fain to 
come away in a very bad humour. 

As soon as he returned to the camp he told 
his father what had occurred, and how eager he was 
for a chance to redeem himself. Mr. Stannard, 
seeing that he really took the matter to heart, 
then promised to try what could be done, and went 
off at once to see the Thanadar. 

The result of his conference with him was, that 
a race was arranged to take place the following 
morning between Kent’s pony and the best that 
Padam could produce ; whereat Kent was entirely 
satisfied, for he put implicit faith in Spy. 


CHAPTER XIII 

THE GKEAT PADAM STEEPLECHASE 

Kent was so worked up about the race that he 
could hardly get to sleep, and as he lay in bed 
wide awake and staring out through the door of 
the tent, an idea came to him that at once took 
possession of his mind. 

“ The very thing ! ” he murmured, giving himself 
a slap on the thigh in expression of his satisfaction. 

Even if there be ponies here that can beat Spy 
racing on the level, I’m perfectly sure there’s not 
one that can beat her at a steeplechase, and that 
is the kind of a race we’ll have if I can manage it.” 

So soon as his father was awake in the morning 
Kent declared for a steeplechase, and vowed that 
nothing else would satisfy him. 

Mr. Stannard at first demurred. 

" Haven’t you had enough escapee from breaking 
your neck,” he asked, ‘‘that you are so eager to 
risk it riding a steeplechase over such country as 
this?” 

But Kent pleaded earnestly, and finally prevailed 

167 


i68 


ON THE WOELD’S KOOF 


SO far as to secure his father’s pledge that if the 
other side had no objection he would give way. 

When the thing was proposed to the Thanadar 
he agreed at once. There would be far more 
excitement about such a race, and as it involved 
the possibility of somebody’s neck or limb being 
broken, it quite approved itself to his half- savage 
mind. 

Long before the time appointed for the contest 
the people of Padam were thronging out to the 
level where it was to take place. 

Mr. Stannard and the Thanadar had arranged 
the details between them, to the entire satisfaction 
of both. The course selected was .along the bottom 
of the valley, its length being altogether more than 
a mile, and its character such as to give even an 
Irish steeplechaser pause. There were stone walls 
to be leaped over, irrigating brooks to be crossed, 
big boulders to be surmounted, and, above all 
things, various Ohoten and Mani to be scrupulously 
avoided, for it would have been sacrilege to race 
across them. 

The starting-point was at the upper end of the 
valley, and the racers were to go to the lower end 
and back, thus making up the two miles. 

Sharp on time everything was in readiness, Kent 
having taken the precaution to fasten Hercules 
securely at the camp, so that he would not again 


THE GREAT PAD AM STEEPLECHASE 1 69 

interfere in so untimely and provoking a fashion. 
The big fellow roared and tugged furiously at his 
chain, but he could not break his bonds, and had 
perforce to submit to his temporary captivity. 

By way of preparation for the event, the Sikh 
and Goorkha had combed and brushed up little 
Spy until she presented quite a jaunty appearance, 
her mane and tail being plaited in true racing 
fashion. 

The Padam pony had also received an amount 
of attention that must have caused it some aston- 
ishment, and this time was bridled and saddled in 
proper style. The rider was the same boy that 
had been Kent’s opponent before, the Thanadar 
evidently considering that that would be fair for 
both parties. 

Every nerve in Kent’s frame was a-quiver with 
excitement, and his heart beat like the ticks of 
a watch. Noting this, Mr Stannard said warn- 
ingly — 

“Don’t lose your head, Kent, my boy. It’s 
going to be a hard race, and you’ll need all your 
wits to win it. Keep your pony well in hand, and 
don’t attempt to make the running. The other 
chap will do that for you.” 

Kent nodded his head vigorously in token of 
heeding his father’s advice, but said nothing in 
reply. He was too excited to trust himself to speak. 


ON THE WOELD’S ROOF 


170 

There was almost perfect silence in the throng 
of spectators as the ponies got into position for 
the start. The Thanadar had courteously insisted 
upon Mr. Stannard giving the signal, which was 
to be the dropping of a handkerchief. 

The nervousness of the riders had communicated 
itself to their mounts, and there were a couple of 
false starts before they got away well together, 
amid the cheers and cries of the men, women, and 
children gathered for the contest. 

As Mr. Stannard anticipated, the Padam boy 
sent his pony off at full speed, just as though the 
race were a half-mile dash instead of a long pull 
over the very roughest of courses. This caused 
the Thanadar to look grave, and to mutter some- 
thing under his moustache that at least was not 
a blessing, while Mr. Stannard looked at Champ 
and Bunty with a meaning smile. 

In the first quarter of a mile the Padam boy got 
a long lead, for although the temptation to keep 
close to him was very great, Kent managed to re- 
strain the ardour of both himself and his pony. 

“We mustn’t go too fast at first, my good little 
Spy,” he said to the excited little mare. “ There’s 
lots of work to be done yet.” 

The racers now came to the first jump, a low, 
broad stone wall, well worth the attention of a 
veteran cross-country rider. The Padam pony, 


THE GREAT PAD AM STEEPLECHASE 171 

baulked for an instant, sprang on the top of the 
wall and down on the other side ; but Spy took it 
in her stride with a leap that was beautiful to 
witness. 

“ Hurrah, my girl ! ” shouted Kent gleefully, seeing 
at once how his opponent’s speed over the flat 
was to be matched by Spy’s superiority in jumping. 
“ We’ve got them all right, see if we haven’t.” 

The next jump to be negotiated was an irrigating 
brook whose stony sides gave a poor take-off, but 
the Padam pony flew over it unhesitatingly, a long 
jump evidently coming easier to it than a high one. 

Spy did equally well, and on the two went, the 
distance between them remaining practically un- 
changed. 

Another stone wall and another brook were 
passed in much the same way. Spy gaining slightly 
because of the Padam pony’s manner of surmount- 
ing the wall ; and then came the field of boulders, 
a bit of riding that might have daunted the 
pluckiest riders to hounds in England or pig-chasers 
in India. 

“ Take care now. Spy,” said Kent, pulling hard 
on the reins. “Mind where you put your little 
feet.” 

In the case of any ordinary horse the warning 
would certainly have been most timely, but for Spy 
it seemed to be quite superfluous. She did it with 


ON THE WOKLD’S EOOF 


172 

skill little short of miraculous. Her instinct was as 
quick as lightning, and, without hesitating for a 
moment, she chose just the right thing to do. 

Now she would spring to the top of a boulder, 
and drop lightly on the other side. Then she would 
dodge around another, never failing to take the 
shortest cut. Again, she would shy off to the right 
or left, thus securing the only bit of smooth footing 
within reach. 

Meantime the Padam pony was floundering 
along in an undecided, worried way, that caused it 
to lose ground steadily, so that by the time the 
boulders were passed half its lead had been lost, 
and Kent began to grow jubilant. 

At the turn Kent was not more than twenty 
yards behind, and now he ventured upon a little 
strategy that at first caused his father some bewil- 
derment and concern, so that he exclaimed to 
Champ and Bunty — 

“Why, what is Kent about? Surely Spy has 
not bolted and he can’t keep her in the course ? ” 

From their point of view it certainly looked as 
if something of the kind might have happened, for 
Kent, instead of following at the other’s heels, was 
making a wide divergence, the reason of which did 
not appear at all clear. 

But Kent knew just what he was doing. His 
keen eye had noticed off to one side a kind of path 


THE GREAT PAD AM STEEPLECHASE 1 73 

through the boulders that offered an easier way, 
and at the risk of losing a little ground he deter- 
mined to take it, because it would be such a saving 
to his pony’s strength. 

It proved more of a swerve from the straight 
course than he expected, and while he took it the 
Padam boy regained all the lead he had lost. 

But when they were once more straightened out 
for home the wisdom of Kent’s action became mani- 
fest, for the exertion of getting over and around the 
boulders had evidently told upon the other pony, 
and it was beginning to show signs of exhaustion. 
Still, it had some fight left in it, and Kent could not 
afford to crow. 

The bit of smooth going that came after the 
boulders enabled it to recover a little, and it took 
the first brook quite gamely. 

“ Kent’s got his work ahead of him yet,” said 
Mr. Stannard, twitching his moustache nervously. 
“ That Padam pony will take a lot of beating.” 

In spite of its plucky efforts, however. Spy was 
gaining upon it at every stride. Foot by foot the 
distance between the straining animals lessened, 
and Kent could see the Padam rider glancing over 
liis shoulder at him with a look that was pathetic 
in its intense anxiety. 

At the first stone wall the Padam pony stumbled 
and nearly fell ; but its rider held it up with the 


174 ON THE world’s ROOF 

skill of a professional jockey, and it went on again 
bravely. 

Meanwhile Spy was on her part beginning to 
tire, and Kent, instead of holding her back, found it 
necessary to cheer her on. 

The second stone wall tried both ponies hard, 
and the succeeding brook found them with little 
jump left in them. The Padam pony, indeed, made 
no effort to clear the brook at all, being content to 
scramble down one steep bank and up the other. 

But Kent would not let Spy do it in that way. 
Checking her for a moment that she might catch 
breath and have a good look at the water-course, he 
then sent her at it with a whoop of encouragement. 
Responding gamely to the demand upon her, Spy 
gathered herself together and made a noble effort 
to clear the brook. But her previous exertion had 
taken too much of her strength, and only her fore- 
feet cleared the brink of the bank, her hind-feet 
striking the slope. 

Had Kent’s knowledge of riding been limited to 
trotting comfortably along smooth country roads or 
galloping over breezy downs, that would have been 
an end of the race so far as he was concerned. As 
it was, he came so near being thrown, that his father 
shouted in mingled alarm and dismay, and Champ 
and Bunty both made a start towards him. 

But his unsteadiness was only for a moment. 


THE GREAT PAD AM STEEPLECHASE 1 75 

Id another instant he had both himself and Spy 
well in hand, and with a lift of the knees and tug 
of the reins, got her up the bank and away again. 

He was now not more than a furlong from the 
goal, and the Padam boy was about ten yards ahead. 
But his pony was manifestly hanging out signals of 
distress, and if Spy could only put on a little bit of 
a spurt the victory would be in his hands. 

Summoning all his strength of mind and body 
for the supreme effort, Kent strove to inspire his 
flagging pony with energy for a final effort He 
did not go to the whip, for the simple reason that 
he had none in his hands. It was repugnant to 
his nature to lay the whip upon an animal already 
doing its utmost. 

But by word and hand and knee he cheered on 
his doughty little mount, and so gallantly did she 
respond, that he could see he was gaining at every 
stride. Ere one-half the furlong had been covered 
Spy’s nose was beside the Padam pony’s flank. Foot 
by foot she continued to gain, despite the des- 
perate and cruel blows rained by its rider upon 
her opponent. 

Now the two bays were side by side, the Padam 
lad lashing furiously at his pony’s flanks, while 
Kent, a rein in each hand, bent forward and spoke 
kindly to his straining steed. 

Absolute silence held the crowd of spectators, so 


176 


ON THE WORLD’S ROOF 


intense was the excitement ; and had Kent glanced 
up he would have seen his father’s face set with 
anxiety, showing white among the dark-skinned 
throng that surrounded him. But Kent saw 
nothing save his pony’s head, and heard nothing 
save the faithful creature’s laboured breathing. 

The Padam pony, stung by the repeated blows of 
the whip into a desperate effort, held Spy for full 
twenty yards, and a sharp sense of fear of defeat 
sent a shudder through Kent. But the next 
moment, and with the goal still fifty yards away, 
down went the exhausted animal, pitching its rider 
clean over its head, where he lay stunned by the 
shock, while Kent galloped home an undisputed 
winner, amid a chorus of glad hurrahs from his own 
party, in which even some of the Padam folks did 
not refuse to join. 

•As soon as he had passed the winning-post Kent 
turned Spy around, and, without waiting for his 
father’s congratulation, rode back to where his rival 
was being assisted to his feet. Happily he had 
received no serious injury, nor was his pony hurt 
in any way beyond being utterly used up for the 
time, so that there was nothing to mar Kent’s satis- 
faction in a victory that certainly reflected no small 
credit upon both Spy and himself. 

The Thanadar was not at all content with the 
result, and tried hard to induce Mr. Stannard to 


THE GREAT PADAM STEEPLECHASE 1 77 

have another race arranged. But, although Kent 
was nothing loath, Mr. Stannard would not consent. 
Spy had gloriously proved her superiority, and there 
was nothing to be gained by risking her legs and 
her young owner’s neck in another race. 

Moreover, he was impatient to proceed, and did 
not wish to remain at Padam longer than day- 
break of the following day. 

“We must hurry on to Kashmir before the 
snowstorms begin to come in force and render 
the passes impracticable, Kent,” he explained. 
“ We’ve got a good deal of hard climbing ahead 
of us still, and the less snow we have to reckon 
with the better.” 

Small notion had Mr. Stannard as he spoke then, 
that for a much weightier reason than the running of 
another race he would be compelled to prolong his 
stay at Padam far beyond his plans, and that the 
effort to reach Kashmir before the snows would 
entail more hardship and difficulty than he for the 
moment imagined. 

That night the Thanadar gave a feast in honour 
of his visitors, and although feeling somewhat out 
of sorts, Mr. Stannard, accompanied by Kent, took 
part in the festivities, and did his best to show 
appreciation of the entertainment provided. But 
as the night waxed late Mr. Stannard’s indis- 
position increased, until at length he had to beg 

M 


178 ON THE world’s ROOF 

his host to allow him to withdraw to his own tent, 
as he could hardly keep upon his feet. 

Kent’s face, which had been full of smiles at the 
absurd performances of some native jugglers, who 
were better as clowns than as sleight-of-hand per- 
formers, grew suddenly grave when he saw how 
ill his father seemed, and as soon as they had left 
the Thanadar he began to question him anxiously. 

“Do you know what’s the matter with you, 
father ? I hope you’re not going to be ill, as I 
was when the missionary’s wife was so good to me. 
There^s nobody here to look after you.” 

“ Except you, Kent,” replied Mr. Stannard, with a 
warm smile of pride and affection. “ You wouldn’t 
mind being my nurse for a while, would you ? ” 

“ Why, no, father, of course not,” responded Kent 
eagerly, grasping his father’s hand. “ But I hope 
you’re not going to need a nurse all the same.” 

“ I hope not too, my boy, from the bottom of my 
heart,” echoed Mr. Stannard. “ But you needn’t 
be frightened. It’s nothing serious, I imagine. 
Just a touch of indigestion, or something equally 
trifling.” 

Now, although Mr. Stannard thus affected to 
treat the matter lightly, as a matter of fact his 
mind was troubled with grave apprehensions. He 
was for the most part a very healthy man, and had 
had little experience of illness, yet somehow his 


THE GREAT PADAM STEEPLECHASE 1 79 

present feelings told him that it was much more 
than a touch of indigestion, or even of gout, that 
was now troubling him. 

“ God grant it may not be dysentery I ” he 
murmured, so low that Kent might not hear him. 
Yet that was precisely what he feared, and the dread 
weighed heavily upon his heart. 

Kent was full of concern for his father, and 
proposed one thing after another, until at last Mr. 
Stannard, mustering a cheery smile, ordered him 
off to bed, saying — 

“Make your mind easy, Kent dear. Tm not 
going to collapse to-night any way. We’ll see how 
matters are in the morning. That will be time 
enough.” 

Despite his father’s resolute cheeriness, Kent’s 
mind was very uneasy, and he spent that night 
with one eye open, so to speak, and so lightly did 
he sleep that his father could hardly turn in bed 
without arousing him. 

Mr. Stannard was very restless too. His sick- 
ness grew worse with every hour. His body 
became full of pain, and a burning fever possessed 
him, accompanied by such weakness that he 
realised that there was small chance of his being 
about on the morrow. 

By the morning there was no further doubt 
as to the nature of Mr. Stannard’s illness. He 


l8o ON THE world’s ROOF 

had been attacked by dysentery, and such a hold 
had that dangerous disease already taken of him 
that the utmost care would be required to ensure 
his recovery. 

When Kent understood this a strange sense of 
dismay chilled his heart. It was certainly a 
trying position for a mere boy to have thus sud- 
denly cast upon him such a weight of responsi- 
bility, for while his father continued ill he must 
assume charge of him and the whole party. 

Was he equal to such a task ? 


CHAPTER XIV 


SICKNESS AND PEKIL 

“Kent, my dear boy,” said Mr. Stannard, doing 
his best to muster up a cheerful smile in spite of 
the suffering that racked him, “ youll have to take 
my place for a time. Pve no idea how long I’ll 
be laid up, but it’s bound to be some days, and 
you must take charge of everything in the mean- 
time.” 

** I’ll do my best, father,” responded Kent, with 
a quivering of the lip and suffusion of the eyes 
that refused to be entirely suppressed; “and I’m 
sure I do hope it won’t be long before you are 
all right again.” 

“ It is fortunate we’ve got two such faithful 
fellows as Champ and Bunty for servants,” con- 
tinued Mr. Stannard. “ They’ll stand by us 
through thick and thin. But the carriers you 
might as well pay off at once. We can easily 
get as many as we want from the Thanadar when 
we are ready to start again.” 

The carriers were accordingly discharged, greatly 


1 82 ON THE world’s ROOF 

to their disappointment, for they had counted upon 
having a week’s idleness at the Sahib’s expense, 
and there was considerable muttering among them 
when they received their pay. 

The Sikh and Goorkha manifested genuine con- 
cern for their master, and there could be no mistake 
about the sincerity with which they affirmed their 
readiness to be faithful to him and Kent, whatever 
might be the issue. 

During the afternoon a change for the worse 
took place in the weather, and fearing the conse- 
quence of exposure in a thin canvas tent to such 
snowstorms as they had endured in the Shigri 
valley, Kent set about finding quarters for his 
father in one of the houses of Padam. 

This proved to be no easy task. Whether the 
people were afraid of the sickness extending to 
them, or whether they had some superstitious 
antipathy to admitting the Sahib into their homes, 
it was impossible to make out. This much, how- 
ever, was perfectly clear, that not even money had 
power over their objections, and that some other 
influence would be required to obtain for Kent 
what he sought. 

Happily this influence was forthcoming. In 
despair of accomplishing his purpose unaided, Kent 
bethought himself of applying to the Thanadar, 
and the application was successfuL 


SICKNESS AND PERIL 


183 


He at once took an interest in the matter, 
and assured Kent that a room would be obtained 
for him ; and he was as good as his word. Before 
sundown a Sowar came to the tents with the wel- 
come news that excellent accommodation had been 
arranged for at a house to which the Sowar would 
conduct the party, now reduced to four members. 

Kent lost no time in making the move. The 
Thanadar had thoughtfully sent a litter for Mr. 
Stannard’s use, and as soon as he was safely started 
with Kent at his side, the tents were struck, and, 
under Champ and Bunty’s direction, carried with 
the rest of the baggage into the town, arriving at 
the house not long after the invalid. 

The “ excellent accommodation ” promised by 
the Thanadar proved anything but that from an 
English point of view, though no doubt it was 
the best obtainable under the circumstances. 

The house belonged to one of the principal 
Zemindars, or landed proprietors, and was a typical 
Thibetan residence of the better class, being built 
of stone without mortar, and strengthened by large 
beams that must have come from a long distance. 
It was a two-story house, the ground floor being 
practically a stable, tenanted by a happy family 
of cattle, sheep, and ponies, whose presence was 
continually manifested by the variety of smells and 
sounds that ascended from their quarters. 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


184 

The upper flat was divided into a number of 
rooms, some of which were occupied by the women 
and children of the family, others as store-rooms, 
and one as a chapel, while the largest room of all 
was set apart for the men. It was here Mr. 
Stannard and his party were to put up, and when 
Kent first looked about him his thought was, “ How 
can my father ever get well here ? ” 

Although a spacious apartment, being nearly 
forty feet square, it had no window, the only source 
of light and air, save the door, being a large square 
hole in the roof, through which the rain, snow, 
and cold came freely, although the smoke from the 
struggling fire seemed reluctant to go out by it, 
and preferred hanging about the room, rendering 
the atmosphere dense and choking. 

But the worst part of the room was its roof, 
which was composed of thorn-bushes pressed closely 
together, and although over four feet thick, it did 
not keep out the wet, the melting snow percolating 
through, and falling in frequent drops upon the floor. 
An unpleasant feature of this dropping water was its 
being so dirty, for the smoke had thickly coated the 
ceiling of the room with soot, and the drops were 
the colour of ink. 

Before Kent had been many minutes in the 
room, he made up his mind that his father must 
be protected so far as possible from both the 


SICKNESS AND PERIL 1 85 

smoke and the rain. But the question was how to 
manage it. 

Mr. Stannard could suggest nothing, and begged 
Kent not to bother. “ It won*t make me any worse, 
even if it doesn’t help me to get better,” he said, 
with one of his brave smiles. “ I’ll dodge as 
many of the drops as I can, and say nothing about 
the rest.” 

But Kent could not rest content, and his busy 
brain worried over the matter, until finally he gave 
a shout of relief — “ I’ve got it I The very thing ! 
Come along, Bunty, and we’ll fix it in a minute.” 

His idea certainly was a good one, and when 
put into execution seemed to meet the difficulty 
remarkably well. It was nothing more or less 
than to put up one of the tents inside the room, 
and have his father occupy it, just as if they were 
still out in the open air, 

Mr. Stannard seemed much amused at the plan, 
but made no objection, and in a short time the 
tent was securely set up, and he was comfortably 
ensconced within it, to Kent’s entire satisfaction. 

“ There now, father,” said he exultingly, “ you’re 
as snug as a bug in a rug, and you’ll not be bothered 
any more by having those horrid dirty drops come 
splashing down on you all the time.” 

“ You certainly have made me far more com- 
fortable, my dear boy,” replied Mr. Stannard, “ and 


1 86 ON THE world’s ROOF 

if I don’t hurry up and get well, it won’t be your 
fault.” 

Although he did put such a brave face on the 
matter, Mr. Stannard in reality was much troubled 
about himself. He had taken a good supply of 
medicine along with him, but he had given a great 
deal away to the sick and suffering he had en- 
countered on the route, and he had not in stock 
the exact remedies he required, while, of course, 
there was nothing to be had in Padam that would 
be of any benefit 

The week that ensued was one full of anxiety on 
the part of Kent and the two faithful servants. The 
fell disease struggled hard with Mr. Stannard for 
his life, and there were days when the issue seemed 
so doubtful that Kent could hardly eat or sleep for 
keen concern. He spent as little time from his 
father’s side as possible, going out only when it 
was necessary to look after supplies and so forth, 
and when Mr. Stannard ordered him off that he 
might fill his lungs with fresh air and keep the 
colour in his cheeks. 

Champ and Bunty were beyond praise in their 
devotion and usefulness, the Sikh always taking 
Kent’s place at Mr. Stannard’s bedside when the 
former was out, and Bunty managing to concoct 
dainty dishes wherewith to tempt the sufferer’s 
palate with a skill and resource that were simply 


SICKNESS AND PERIL 


187 


marvellous in view of the difficulties as to mate- 
rials and means of cooking with which he had to 
contend. 

During the long hours of nursing, Kent had 
one means of diversion in which he found great 
pleasure — to wit, the companionship of two children 
belonging to the family in whose house they were 
lodging. These youngsters, a boy and girl, the 
one five and the other six years old, spent most 
of their time in the other end of the room from 
that in which Mr. Stannard was lying. 

Here they were tended, like the pair of frolic- 
some lambs they were, by their grandmother, a 
blear-eyed, bent -backed dame, with whom they 
were on the best of terms, although she did her 
utmost to keep them busy winding yarn and 
incessantly repeating the monotonous prayer, “ Om 
mani jpad me haun” 

Although their parents were black-haired and 
swarthy-skinned, these children had as fair com- 
plexions and as light hair as if they were Danes, 
and, barring the dirt which usually obscured their 
faces, were bonny enough youngsters to rejoice 
the hearts of any ordinary parents. Kent had to 
win his way into their confidence, for at first they 
were very shy. But ere long a thoroughly friendly 
footing was established, and he found much enjoy- 
ment in their merry pranks. They seemed so 


ON THE WOKLD’S ROOF 


1 88 

bright and clever that he was impelled to try and 
teach them some of his own language, and naturally 
enough, seeing that their chief business in life, 
next to winding endless lengths of yarn, seemed 
to be equally interminable repetition of the mean- 
ingless Lama prayer, he bethought him of having 
them learn the Lord’s Prayer. 

The old grandmother, evidently taking in that 
the lesson was a religious exercise of some sort, 
offered no objection, and Kent’s winning ways, 
and unfailing rewards in the way of toothsome 
cakes prepared by the ingenious Bunty, were so 
effective that by the end of the week both children 
could repeat the Lord’s Prayer without a mistake. 
It was really beautiful and touching to hear them 
go through it with their quaint pronunciation and 
sweet childish voices. 

“ Of course they don’t understand a word of it,” 
said Kent to his father after the first triumphant 
demonstration of his success as a teacher, “but 
they know that much English any way; and the 
next white people that come along, if they hear 
them saying the Lord’s Prayer, it’ll be sure to set 
them wondering how they came to learn it, and 
then perhaps they’ll teach them something more 
themselves.” 

Young though they were, the children evidently 
understood that their new accomplishment was 


SICKNESS AND PERIL 


189 


something much to their credit, and they could 
be heard from time to time rehearsing it to one 
another while winding away at the yarn. 

Whenever the weather permitted Kent had a 
canter on Spy, Hercules bounding and barking 
along beside him ; and this daily outing had much 
to do with keeping up his health and vigour during 
those days of anxiety and care. Mr. Stannard 
had been ill just a week, and was beginning to 
show signs of amendment, when Kent took a 
longer ride than usual, the day being unusually 
fine and the ground fairly free from snow. He 
had gone away down to the lower end of the 
valley, leaving Padam some miles behind, and 
was about to retrace his steps, when Hercules 
started off in fierce pursuit of some small animal, 
whether a young bear or marmot Kent had not 
time to see. Away he went up a narrow gorge, 
and Kent, being unable to recall him by shouts 
of “Come back, Here! Come back, sir!*’ had 
prepared to follow, lest his big pet should be lost 
to him. 

The gorge grew narrower and darker as Kent 
proceeded, until at last he dared not go any farther. 
Happily, just when this conclusion forced itself 
upon him, Hercules decided that he had no chance 
of securing the object of his chase, and returned to 
his master, looking very crestfallen. Kent gave 


190 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


him a good rating, and turned Spy around, intend- 
ing to make all haste back to the town, when, 
to his surprise and consternation, he found his way 
barred by a quartette of as villainous-looking natives 
as he had seen since leaving Simla. They stood 
right in his path, and the leader of them, a tall, 
swarthy, sinewy fellow, armed with a long match- 
lock, was saying something in his own language, 
the purport of which Kent rightly took to be a 
summons to stand and deliver. 

Now Kent was as quick to act as he was brave 
of heart, and taking in the situation at the first 
glance, he made response to the rascal’s demand by 
clapping his heels to his pony’s sides and charging 
straight at him. It was a daring thing to do, and 
in a less confined space might have had the success 
it deserved. But although Spy did bowl over the 
first fellow, knocking the matchlock from his grasp 
and nearly stunning him by his fall, the other three 
were too close to be avoided, and they instantly threw 
themselves upon Kent, one pulling him from his 
saddle, while two laid hold of the reins and threw 
Spy back on her haunches. 

By this time Hercules had come up, and, needing 
no urging from Kent, took part in the struggle. 
He first sprang at the prostrate robber, but finding 
him practically hors de combat^ turned his attention 
to the one that had hold of Kent. 


SICKNESS AND PERIL 


I9I 

Wasting no breath in a premonitory growl, he 
seized him by the thick of the thigh and gave 
him a crunching bite that caused him to roar in 
pain, and to let go of Kent at once. 

“Good dog !” cried Kent, cheering him on. “Good 
old Here ! Give it to the rascals.” 

Quick to utilise the momentary dismay caused 
by the falling of one of the quartette, and the biting 
of the other, Kent now sought to regain possession 
of Spy. But in this he was foiled by the two 
uninjured men, and although Hercules did his best 
to get his teeth into them, they managed to keep 
him off without letting go of either the pony or 
Kent. 

Matters were at this pass, and Kent was pretty 
clearly convinced that for the present at least further 
struggle was useless, when it flashed into his mind 
that if he could only get Hercules off to Padam his 
return alone would give the alarm, and a rescuing 
party would be sent after his master. Saying, there- 
fore, to the man who held him, “ Let me alone ; I 
won’t try to get away,” and showing by his actions 
what his words meant, he called out to Hercules, 
“ Go home. Here ! Go home, sir ! Off with you ! ” 

The dog ceased his hostile demonstrations at the 
sound of Kent’s voice, looked up into his face with 
a very puzzled expression for a moment, and then, 
evidently taking in what he wanted, gave a shorty 


192 ON THE world's ROOF 

sharp bark, as though to say, “ I understand you ; 
ril do it,” and bounded off in the direction of 
Padam. The man who had the matchlock tried to 
stop him with a bullet, but the clumsy firearm 
made a bad miss, and before he could reload 
Hercules had vanished around a projecting cliff. 

“ Now then, what is it that you want of me ? ” 
demanded Kent, turning to his captors, after he 
had seen Hercules safely out of sight. 

The men all looked very sulky and threatening, 
but Kent determined to put on as bold a front as 
possible, so that, if they could not understand his 
words, they might be in no mistake about his 
meaning. 

The man who was knocked down by Spy, and 
the other who was bitten by Hercules, having 
examined their respective injuries, and attended to 
them in a rough fashion, the four scoundrels now 
sat down to confer together, one of them holding 
the pony’s bridle, and the other Kent’s arm. They 
rightly judged that he would not be able to make 
out a word of their talk, and they could therefore 
discuss their plans with perfect freedom. 

It was a strange and trying situation for Kent, 
and he certainly carried himself with wonderful 
fortitude. Here he was, miles away from all help, 
his father powerless to help him even were he 
aware of his danger, and no way of making his 


SICKNESS AND PERIL 


193 


present peril known unless Hercules should succeed 
in arousing anxiety concerning him. He closely 
studied the countenances of the four men as they 
talked together in low, earnest tones, but there was 
no ground for encouragement to be found there. 

Two of the men were tall, sinewy fellows, of like 
build with Champ; one of them was short and 
thick-set ; and the fourth a thin, shrunken, weasel- 
faced man, older than his companions, and who 
seemed to be their leader. They all had dark, 
evil-looking countenances, and they from time to 
time glanced at Kent out of the corners of their 
eyes in a way that made him shudder. 


N 


CHAPTER XV 


ROBBERS AND BEARS 

As Kent watched the rascals into whose hands he 
had so unexpectedly fallen, he noticed that his pony 
Spy seemed to be as much a matter of interest to 
them as he was himself, and presently it became 
clear that the conference was not proceeding alto- 
gether amicably. 

How he did long for the power to understand 
their talk, which grew more noisy and earnest every 
minute! The little old man evidently wanted to 
lay down the law for the others, but they were 
not willing to accept it at his hands, and the 
argument grew more heated, until finally all four 
were upon their feet, talking simultaneously at 
the top of their voices. Then the old man made 
some proposition which succeeded in producing 
a temporary calm, and they all squatted down 
again. 

“ I wonder what they’re going to do now,” soli- 
loquised Kent anxiously. " I hope they don’t in- 
tend to cut my head off,” he added, for one of the 
194 


ROBBERS AND BEARS I95 

big fellows seemed to be fingering his sword in a 
suggestive way. 

But matters had not got quite so bad as that yet. 
What they were about to do was to draw lots, and 
to this they proceeded in a primitive fashion, Kent 
following every movement with keenest interest, 
for he realised that his fate was somehow in the 
issue. 

But it soon became evident that the drawing of 
lots would not prove any more harmonious a trans- 
action than the preceding wrangle had been, and 
time and time again the leader, if such he could be 
called when the others so stoutly refused to be con- 
trolled by him, manifested a degree of anger that 
made him seem a very devil incarnate. He would 
draw his sword and swing it about his head, while 
fairly shrieking with fury, and once he made a 
lunge at Kent with the gleaming steel as though 
he would stab him to the heart. 

Yet none of these tactics were of any avail in 
carrying his point, and having spent his breath 
and strength for nought, he paused for a moment 
to consider what he would do next, when the still- 
ness was suddenly broken in a startling manner by 
the report of rifles, and several bullets whistled 
through the air just above the heads of the little 
group, and flattened themselves against the rocks 
beyond. 


196 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


Close upon the crack of the firearms came the 
roar of a mighty dog furious for the attack, and the 
next instant the leader of the scoundrelly quartette 
was borne backward to the ground with Hercules 
at his throat ; while the two tall robbers, before their 
momentary amazement was over, found themselves 
pinioned in the iron grip of the Sikh and theGoorkha, 
the fourth member of the gang being left to the 
care of one of the Thanadar’s officers, who promptly 
knocked him down with the butt of his pistol. 

So sudden and silent was the onslaught, so per- 
fect the surprise, and so complete the capture, that 
Kent was fairly dazed, and for a moment stood 
there with his mouth wide open and his eyes start- 
ing from their sockets, like one bewitched. Pre- 
sently, however, his wits came back to him, and 
with a shout of triumph he sprang at Hercules, and 
strove to pull him off the prostrate man, whose life 
was in no small danger. 

“ Easy, Here ! Easy, good dog ! ” he said per- 
suasively. " Don’t kill him, even if he does richly 
deserve it. Let him alone, there’s a good chap.” 

At the sound of his young master’s voice the 
mastiff ceased his awful muzzling of the wretched 
man’s throat, so suggestive of torn veins and gashed 
windpipe, but still stood over his victim, the bloody 
foam that dropped from his tremendous jaw show- 
ing that his teeth had not been idle. 


ROBBEKS AND BEARS 


197 


“ Come ofif, Here ! Come off, I tell you ! ” com- 
manded Kent, a sickening feeling passing over him at 
the sight ; and then, as the great brute seemed reluc- 
tant to obey, he caught him by his ears, and with 
a great effort flung him to one side. “Now then, 
get up, quick,” he cried to the robber ; “ Here hasn’t 
killed you.” The man needed no second bidding. 
Although the mastiffs teeth had torn the thickest 
part of his throat badly, they had not touched any 
vital spot, and he was not rendered helpless. 

Don’t you move now one step, or I’ll let him at 
you again,” said Kent to him in his fiercest tones> 
and the frightened wretch stood still, looking the 
very picture of abject terror and misery as he strove 
to stanch the wounds in his throat. 

By this time both Champ and Bunty had their 
men safely secured, and were free to exchange 
greetings with Kent, whose first question was, 
“ Was it Here got you to come after me ? ” Both 
the Sikh and Goorkha tried to answer the question, 
and so full of joy were they at having made such 
a timely and effective appearance upon the scene, 
that neither seemed to notice the other was talking. 
Kent was therefore fain to exclaim, ‘‘Please, don’t 
both speak at once. You tell me how it was. 
Champ.” The Sikh accordingly explained, assisted 
by additions from Bunty, who could not keep quiet 
to save his life, that Hercules had come back very 


198 ON THE WOKLD’S ROOF 

much out of breath, and had shown as plainly as 
it was possible for a dog to do that he wanted 
them to return with him. 

They confessed they had not at first understood 
his strange actions, but Mr. Stanuard almost imme- 
diately grasped their import, and, suspecting that all 
was not well, had sent them off to see what was 
the matter. On the way the Thanadar’s officer 
had joined them out of mere curiosity ; and so, 
led by Hercules, who went before at such an im- 
patient pace that they could hardly keep him in 
sight, they came upon the robbers, with the satis- 
factory results already detailed. 

As night was fast coming on, they now made all 
haste back to Padam, driving the would-be robbers 
ahead of them with hands tied behind their backs. 
On reaching the town the prisoners were handed 
over to the Thanadar’s officers for trial in the 
morning. 

Mr. Stannard was immensely relieved by Kent’s 
return. From the time the servants set out under 
the guidance of the mastiff he had been worrying 
greatly, not knowing whether his boy might have 
been thrown from the pony or fallen into some 
ravine, or perchance, as was actually the case, have 
been attacked by robbers. 

When Kent had described all that had taken 
place his father called Hercules to his bedside, and 


BOBBERS AND BEARS 


199 


taking his huge head in both hands, kissed him 
affectionately on his broad forehead, saying, “You 
grand, good dog! How can I ever be grateful 
enough to you for the service you have rendered 
us to-day ? ” 

Hercules, as a rule, did not appreciate demon- 
strations of this kind save from Kent, but he 
seemed to realise this was a special occasion, and 
submitted with a dignified grace that was quite 
edifying. 

The following morning the foiled highwaymen 
were put on trial before the Thanadar, and it 
then appeared from their confession that their evil 
designs were not so much directed against Kent 
as against his pony. It seemed that the old 
man, who was chief of the gang, owned the pony 
which Spy had defeated, and he had taken such 
a fancy to the clever little victor that he deter- 
mined to possess her at any cost. He had accord- 
ingly got the other men to help him, hut when 
the capture was effected it turned out that all 
four of them wanted the pony, and their heated 
quarrelling over the matter had led to their 
undoing. 

But for the intercession of Kent, who could not 
bear to think of the poor fellows suffering severely 
on his account, the Thanadar would have visited 
condign punishment upon the robbers. As it was, 


200 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


they got off with a month’s imprisonment and a 
sharp warning for the future. 

Mr. Stannard was now sufficiently recovered to 
be anxious to resume the journey. He had been 
fretting at the delay in Padam, inevitable though 
it was, and had made up his mind to try proceed- 
ing by means of a litter, for which there would 
be no difficulty in securing bearers, as the wages he 
offered were liberal enough to tempt the majority 
of the able-bodied men of the place. 

The travellers made quite an imposing party 
when they started the following morning, after 
bidding farewell to the kind Thanadar, and giving 
him a present that thoroughly satisfied him. For 
Mr. Stannard’s litter there were a full dozen of 
bearers, as the work would be exceedingly trying in 
view of the rough ground to be traversed. Then^ 
instead of Ugarries for all the baggage, tents, &c., 
several additional ponies and yaks were hired, their 
owners accompanying them as drivers ; and these, 
with half-a-dozen carriers for general purposes, and 
the Sikh and Goorkha, constituted a small force 
that any of the hillmen with plundering propen- 
sities would be bound to respect. 

Kent, riding upon Spy, reviewed the procession 
as it moved away from Padam with considerable 
pride. “We look quite imposing, don’t we, Here ? ” 
he said to his unfailing companion. “ I wonder what 


ROBBERS AND BEARS 


201 


they*d think of us if we were to go through the 
streets of London in this fashion. We'd make 
a big sensation no doubt, and perhaps be hauled 
up by the bobbies for obstructing the traffic.” 

Hercules gave a bark that signified, “I’m sure I 
don’t understand what you’re saying, but it’s all 
right any way,” and bounded ahead to show that 
he considered his master was being too dilatory; 
whereupon Kent touched up Spy, and cantered 
alongside Mr. Stannard’s litter. “I hope these 
fellows are carrying you comfortably, father,” he 
said, with a look of affectionate solicitude. “ They 
look as if they were doing their best to be careful.” 

“They’re getting on famously, Kent,” responded 
Mr. Stannard cheerfully. “ It seems absurd for 
me to have to be on my back like this, but if I 
attempted to ride I’d only have to lie up again, 
and we must make Kashmir before anything like 
that happens.” 

The first day’s journey was an easy and pleasant 
one, and it was with light hearts and much merry 
talk that the travellers made good progress. Their 
way ran first through an open valley, lying between 
ranges of mountains whose steep slopes clear to 
their peaks were covered with snow of dazzling 
purity, while high above their summits arched a 
sky of cloudless blue, in which great eagles could 
be seen soaring serenely on expanded pinions. 


202 


ON THE WORLD’S ROOF 


Close to the river which ran through the bottom 
of the valley the blazing sun kept the snow in 
check, and here bloomed many varieties of beautiful 
autumn flowers, posies of which Kent was ever 
jumping off Spy to pick and present to his father. 

The clear, keen air was full of the music of 
numberless snow-rivulets rushing down to lose 
themselves in the river, punctuated by the shrill 
whistle of marmots standing beside their holes, and 
exchanging comments, no doubt, upon the strange 
passers-by. 

Hercules made himself utterly ridiculous by 
furious dashes at the marmots, although he might 
as well have chased his own shadow so far as any 
practical results were concerned. The provoking 
little animals would wait until he was within a 
few yards of them, and then, with a derisive whistle, 
take a header into their holes, leaving the mastifl 
in the lurch in a way that ought to have taught 
him a lesson. But it did not, for he was always 
ready for a fresh attempt in spite of the fruitless- 
ness of his former ones. Kent tried several shots 
at the marmots, with no better results than attended 
Hercules’ efforts. The clever creatures seemed to 
know the instant of the pulling of the trigger, and 
would dive out of sight before the bullet reached 
them. 

After this valley, which all were sorry to leave. 


ROBBERS AND BEARS 


203 


came a succession of picturesque small vales, end- 
ing in a more open tract of country, on one side 
of which was a clump of birch bushes that Kent 
thought it would be well to camp by. 

They were now well up in the Pense-la Pass, and 
surrounded by snow on all sides. Indeed, the tents 
had to be pitched upon snow, for it was too deep to 
be swept away ; and for the next week the same 
thing had to be done. Kent took good care that 
his father was as fully protected from exposure as 
possible, and the abundance of fuel enabled the 
servants and higarries to have roaring fires, which 
they heartily enjoyed. 

Kor was it only for the sake of warmth that the 
fires were kept burning merrily. The higarries 
professed to be very nervous about bears, which 
they said were numerous in the neighbourhood ; and 
they had so much to say about the size and fero- 
city of the animals that Kent’s hunting spirit was 
deeply stirred, and he said to his father, “ I wouldn’t 
mind if a bear did pay us a visit. We’d have no 
difficulty in disposing of him, I imagine.” 

“Don’t be too sure, my boy,” responded Mr. 
Stannard, with a smile. “The Himalayan bears 
are not to be despised when they mean business.” 

The bears were so much on Kent’s mind that he 
fell to dreaming of them that night, and had such 
an exciting tussle with a very big fellow in the 


204 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


course of his dreams that he woke up, and for a 
moment or two was uncertain as to whether the 
struggle was not a real one. It was bright moon- 
light, and he had got so thoroughly awake that he 
could not at once fall asleep again. Hearing 
Hercules, who always slept at the tent door, give 
a deep growl, he arose, and, lifting the flaps, 
looked out. 

The entire camp was buried in slumber, and the 
neglected Are had nearly burned itself out. From 
before the tents the mountain-side rose up in a 
steep slope, on which the moon was pouring the 
full flood of her silver light, and coming slowly yet 
steadily down the snowy slope was a dark shape, the 
sight of which made the boy’s heart bound within 
him and set every nerve a- tingle. 

Beyond question it was a bear, and a big fellow 
too, bent on a visit to the camp, and if not 
frightened he would soon be within range. In 
an instant Kent’s mind was made up. He would, 
with only the aid of Hercules, go out to attack the 
bear. It would indeed be something to boast of if 
success crowned his venture. 

Stepping softly to where his father lay, he made 
sure he was too sound asleep to be conscious of 
what was going on. Then he hastened to put on his 
clothes, and to get together his rifle, revolver, and 
hunting-knife. He succeeded in accomplishing this 




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stalking the Bear 


Page 205 



ROBBERS AND BEARS 


205 


cvithout disturbing his father, and in a few minutes 
was outside the tent ready for the fray. The mas- 
tiff at once bounded to his side, and, commanding 
him to be quiet, Kent stole past the sleeping ser- 
vants and natives and disappeared in the clump of 
birch. 

He had observed that by creeping through this 
clump for some distance he could get to one side of 
the bear, which continued to advance in a cautious, 
deliberate fashion, and his plan of attack was at 
once laid down. 

He found it hard to restrain Hercules* ardour 
as they made their way through the bushes, for 
although the big dog had not as yet detected the 
presence of the bear, he instinctively divined that 
some game was afloat, and this rendered him rather 
obstreperous. But by keeping a heavy hand on 
his collar, Kent managed to hold him in check 
until he had carefully worked along through the 
dense underbrush to the position he sought. The 
bear now presented his full broadside to him, and 
was not more than fifty yards away. 

Up to this point the creature evidently had no 
hint of the nearness of danger, but now he stopped 
short and sniffed about him in a way that showed 
his suspicions were aroused. Eealising that this 
was his opportunity, Kent took as careful aim as 
his throbbing pulses permitted, and pulled the 


206 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


trigger. Almost simultaneously with the report 
of the rifle Hercules broke out into a fierce roar 
and rushed at the bear, which had rolled over upon 
the snow, to all appearances mortally wounded. 

Throwing all prudence aside in his exultation at 
the success of his shot, Kent followed the mastiff, 
and had just reached the prostrate bear, when, sud' 
denly rising to its feet, it charged at him, and hurled 
him backwards with such violence that, his head 
coming in contact with a block of ice, he was 
rendered insensible. 


CHAPTEE XVI 

INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN 

Seeing that the bear was, to use a popular ex- 
pression, not killed, but only scotched, Kent could 
hardly have done anything better than lose his 
senses ; for the wounded brute, finding him utterly 
inert, took it for granted that he was disposed of, 
and gave his whole attention to Hercules, who was 
now making play with him in fine style. 

The contest between bear and mastiff was like 
to be a long and lively one, despite the former’s 
wound, from which blood was flowing freely, had 
not Bunty now appeared on the scene brandishing 
his redoubtable Goorkha knife and shouting at the 
top of his voice. He had no idea that Kent was 
lying out on the snow insensible, but the noise of 
the struggle had aroused him, and it was not his 
nature to let anything in the way of a fight go on 
without having a hand in the fun. 

By the time he reached the two combatants they 
were so closely locked in a relentless embrace that 
he could not at first distinguish the one from the 

207 


208 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


other in the moonlight, and when he did make out 
which was the mastiff, they rolled about so in their 
fury that he dared not strike for fear of wounding him. 

The combined noises had now awakened the whole 
camp, and great confusion prevailed, in the midst of 
which Mr. Stanuard called loudly for Kent, whom 
he at once missed from the tent. 

Getting no response, he naturally enough became 
much alarmed, and shouted for the Sikh or Goorkha 
to come to him. But Champ had already hurried 
to his fellow-servant’s support, and so poor Mr. 
Stannard was left unanswered, while his anxiety 
grew keener every moment. 

"How wretched it is to have to lie here so 
helplessly,” he cried, ‘‘ when, for aught I know, 
my boy may be in peril of his life ! I must try 
and get up.” 

A single attempt, however, was sufficient to 
prove to him his weakness, and he fell back on 
his bed with a bitter groan. 

Meanwhile Champ had reached Bunty’s side, 
and the two were dancing about the struggling 
animals in a fashion that would have been highly 
amusing to a disinterested spectator. At last 
Bunty saw his opportunity, and with one tre- 
mendous stroke of his knife almost cut the bear’s 
head from his shoulders, completely severing the 
spinal cord, and producing instant death. 


INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN 2O9 

Just at this moment Kent recovered his senses, 
and raising himself to a sitting posture, looked 
about him in a bewildered way, asking, “ Is he 
dead ? Have you killed him ? ” 

This was the first intimation either the Goorkha 
or Sikh had of their young master’s presence, and 
they both started back in as much surprise as if 
they had seen a ghost. 

Bunty was the first to recover his self-possession, 
and hastening to Kent’s side, he lifted him upon 
his feet, inquiring anxiously, “ Is the young Sahib 
hurt? Did the vile bear dare to do him any 
harm ? ” 

Though his head was aching violently, Kent gave 
a careless laugh as he responded in a voice that 
quavered a little in spite of himself — 

“He bumped my head very hard on the ice, 
that’s all Which one of you was it killed him ? 
Is Here wounded at all ? ” 

Bunty having claimed the honour of the kill, 
Kent, before looking at the bear, called the mastiff 
to him, and examined him carefully for signs of 
injury. To his great relief, there seemed to be 
none of any account, the dog’s thick coat of hair 
having efficiently protected him ; and Kent now 
turned his attention to the bear. 

This proved to be an unusually fine specimen. 
Though not so large as the ordinary brown bear, 

0 


210 


ON THE world's ROOF 


and not more than half the bulk of the great 
grizzly, it was still quite a formidable animal. 
The fur was glossy black, except on the chest, 
where a white chevron showed conspicuously, 
stretching from shoulder -to shoulder, and looking 
more like some artificial decoration than a natural 
feature. 

From this mark the bear got its scientific name, 
Ursus torquatus, as Kent learned from Mr. Stan- 
nard when the latter was able to look at the 
creature the following morning. 

Of course, when it was all over Kent hastened 
back to the tent, where he found his father as 
near to being in a fury as he ever saw him in 
his life. The poor man, distracted with anxiety 
and fuming at his own helplessness, had been 
shouting and calling in vain until he was ex- 
hausted, and when Kent appeared his first ques- 
tion, asked in a tone of decided asperity, was — 

“ Where have you been, sir ? What’s the mean- 
ing of all this disturbance ? Why did you go out 
without letting me know ? ” 

In the high excitement of his daring enterprise 
and its thrilling Mmmment, Kent had for the time 
completely forgotten his father, and when triumph 
perched so signally upon his banners, he had hur- 
ried back to the tent in the full glow of pride at 
his exploit. But his father’s question checked him 


INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN 


2II 


like so much cold water suddenly splashed in his 
face, and instead of pouring out his story in his 
usual way, he stood abashed and tongue-tied, for 
only at that moment did it dawn upon him that 
he had really acted in a very undutiful way. 

“ What’s the matter with you ? Why don’t you 
explain yourself?” demanded Mr. Stannard in the 
same sharp tone. 

In a very hesitating, humble way, Kent then 
proceeded to relate what had taken place, and as 
the story proceeded it was evident his father’s ire 
abated, until at length it vanished entirely, and 
with one of his hearty laughs he threw himself 
back on his camp-bed, exclaiming — 

“ A chip off the old block, verily ! It’s no use 
my preaching to you, Kent, to be cautious and 
prudent, and all that. You’d need to be born 
again, and off some other stock, to take into account 
the dangers of anything that offered good sport. 
I forgive you, my boy, for I know I would have 
done exactly the same myself under the circum- 
stances. The verdict is, ‘ Not guilty, but don’t do 
it again.’ ” 

Greatly relieved at this turn of affairs, Kent 
went back to bed, and being thoroughly tired out, 
slept soundly until his father roused him late the 
next morning. 

On awaking he was glad to find his headache 


212 ON THE world’s ROOF 

gone, although his head was still sore at the spot 
where it had come in contact with the ice. To 
his great disappointment the skin of the bear 
proved to be utterly worthless, owing to its being 
so saturated with oil, as the animal was very fat 
at that time of the year. 

“You’ll have to come earlier in the season, 
Kent,” said Mr. Stannard, smiling at his chagrin. 
“ These bears always get as fat as porpoises before 
going into their winter quarters. But you can 
console yourself with the reflection that at their 
best the skins are not of much account. Come 
along now, we must be getting ahead.” 

The difficulties and dangers of the next two 
days’ travel in many respects exceeded any pre- 
vious experience. Their way led over the col of 
the Pense-la Pass, and compelled them to climb 
the rocky slopes of the great glacier which flowed 
over it. This proved such extremely tedious and 
tiring work, that when they had ascended some 
distance they ventured out on the bosom of the 
glacier, which was covered with an immensely thick 
sheet of snow, into which the horses sank almost 
to the girths. 

Nor was the difficulty of getting through the 
snow the only troublesome feature of the day’s trial. 
There are no glaciers without crevasses, and as the 
snow completely masked all that there were in the 


INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN 217 , 

Peuse-la Pass glacier, the travellers had perforce to 
push on, trusting to luck rather than to any ability 
to detect the dangers under foot. 

In addition to all this, there was the blazing> 
blinding sunshine, which, coming through the rarefied 
atmosphere (they were nearly fifteen thousand feet 
above sea-level), and being reflected from the vast 
sheets of spotless snow, had tremendous power. By 
way of protection, Kent wore heavy blue goggles over 
his eyes and a thick veil on his face, and yet his 
skin seemed to fairly burn, and peeled off in great 
patches, causing him intense discomfort. 

In view of so many sources of anxiety and suffering, 
there were naturally no eyes for the surrounding 
scenery, superb as it was, and the whole party 
ploughed their way through the snow in complete 
silence save for the cries of the drivers to the yaks 
and ponies they had in charge. 

Mr. Stannard’s litter had to keep in the rear, 
so that its bearers might have the benefit of the 
path beaten by the others, and as he was able to be 
entirely sheltered from the sun’s rays, he got along 
very comfortably. 

To spend the night on the glacier was a thing not 
to be considered, if it could by any possibility be 
avoided ; so, in spite of possible crevasses and merci- 
less sunshine, the party plodded on hour after hour, 
with the satisfactory result of finally making their way 


214 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


down a steep snow-slope leading to a narrow valley, 
along which they continued until they reached a 
clump of brush in a sheltered place, where they went 
into camp with the assurance of having abundant 
firewood in hand. 

The next morning Mr. Stannard declared himself 
suflicieutly recovered to ride one of the ponies instead 
of being toted along on the litter, and he had quite 
an ovation from the servants and carriers when he 
made his appearance in the saddle. 

There were no more glaciers to be crossed for 
some time, the road running through a series of 
beautiful open valleys, whose principal inhabitants 
seemed to be large brown marmots, called Pea by 
the Thibetans, from their peculiar cry. 

Kent of course took a shot at them occasionally, 
and succeeded in bagging several, but had great 
difficulty in securing them, they dived so quickly 
into their holes, unless killed outright at the first 
shot. The skins were in prime condition, and 
Mr. Stannard was very glad to have them. 

Three days of this pleasant and easy travelling 
brought them to Suru, where they passed out 
of the Thibetan regions into the territory of 
Kashmir. 

Mr. Stannard was in high spirits as they settled 
into camp at Suru. “ We’re all right now, I think, 
Kent,” he said, rubbing his hands complacently. 


INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN 


215 

“ Barring accidents, we’ll reach the Garden of Eden 
in another week.” 

“ The Garden of Eden, father ! ” exclaimed Kent. 
“ Why, what do you mean ? The Garden of Eden 
isn’t up among these mountains here, is it ? ” 

Mr. Stannard laughed at his son’s surprise. 

“ It’s only a legend, my boy,” he replied. But 
when you see the Vale of Kashmir you’ll not wonder 
at such a notion having got into people’s minds.” 

But although Suru was within Kashmir territory, 
there was still some difficult and dangerous country 
to be traversed before the traditional Garden of Eden 
would open before the eyes of the eager travellers. 

This part of the journey occupied several days, 
and was full of exciting incidents. Thus, half- 
way between Suru and Kartse, at a place where 
the path was extremely narrow and ran athwart 
precipices and steep slopes of shingle, Kent, riding 
ahead on Spy, met a native also on pony-back. 
There was no room for the ponies to pass each 
other, and no possibility of turning from right to 
left. What was to be done ? The native did not 
seem at all inclined to retreat, while Kent, remem- 
bering that he represented the caravan now close 
behind him, could not think of giving ground. 

For a few minutes he was puzzled how to act, as 
he could not make himself understood to the other. 
Then, realising that it was an occasion for action, 


2I6 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


not indecision, he drew his revolver, and, pointing 
it at the native, said in the sternest voice he could 
muster — 

“Right about face now, and go back to some 
place that’s wide enough to let me get by you.” 

The native laid hold of his sword, and for a 
moment it seemed as if a duel a Voutrance were 
inevitable. Then he suddenly changed his mind, 
and began to back his pony, looking as sulky as a 
sick bear all the time ; but he kept at it until a 
widening of the ledge gave space enough for Kent 
to go past him. By this time both Champ and 
Bunty had come up, and if the irate native enter- 
tained any notion of giving Kent a sudden shove 
over the precipice as he went by him, he was fain 
to leave it unfulfilled. 

Then, again, the crossing of the Omba Pass proved 
an unexpectedly heavy bit of work that kept the 
party out until far into the night. Long slopes of 
snow had to be crept across by the uncertain light of 
a crescent moon, and the height of sixteen thousand 
feet was reached before the summit of the pass had 
been overcome. Then came the descent into the 
darkness of the valleys. Kent could not repress 
a shudder of fear as the guide led the way into 
a deep gorge where it was impossible to ride, and 
where he could not see a yard in front of him. 

The passage through this gorge was one of the 


INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN 21^ 

worst experiences in the whole trip. The way led 
along the bed of a stream full of boulders, over 
which different members of the party were continu- 
ally stumbling. Then at frequent intervals were 
pools of water thinly coated with ice, which broke 
under foot, while more than once they came 
to sudden descents where one man had to be let 
down first that the others might climb down on 
his shoulders. 

It was not far from midnight when this tremen- 
dous day’s tramp came to an end in a sheltered 
valley abounding in brushwood, that was soon blaz- 
ing up cheerfully, and giving light for the erection 
of the tents. 

But the worst of the journey had been got over ; 
and the tired travellers could afford to sleep late 
next morning, which, indeed, none of them failed 
to do, so that it was midday before they set off 
again. 

There remained yet one more pass, the Zoji-la, 
but this was only a trifle of twelve thousand feet 
high, and, in spite of a disagreeable rain, they made 
good time over it; and then they came at once 
into the rich woodland scenery of Kashmir, which 
was inexpressibly grateful and refreshing after the 
almost treeless territory in which they had spent 
so many eventful weeks. 

“ 0 father, how beautiful this is ! ” Kent ex - 


2I8 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


claimed, looking around with eyes full of admiration 
and delight at the wide level meadows, enamelled 
with flowers and threaded by a silver stream, be- 
yond whose borders rose ranges of mountains whose 
lower slopes were richly clothed with foliage already 
glowing with the splendid pageantry of autumn. 
" I am beginning to understand why they imagined 
the Garden of Eden to be here.” 

“ You’ll understand it better when we get really 
into the Kashmir Valley, Kent,” responded his 
father. “We are only on the fringe of it yet.” 

They pushed on rapidly, for Mr. Stannard had 
by this time completely regained his wonted vigour, 
and presently came to Srinagar, the capital city. 
Here the extraordinary beauty of the valley fully 
revealed itself to the eyes of the ravished travellers, 
and they felt that they were well rewarded for all 
the labours and perils of their journey thither. 

“It gives me a strange sense of satisfaction to 
have at last reached the place, Kent,” said Mr. 
Stannard. “I’ve been cherishing the notion since 
my first year in India, and I’m awfully glad you’re 
with me to share the realisation of my dream.” 

“ You’re not more glad than I am, father,” re- 
sponded Kent, hugging his father’s arm affection- 
ately. “And are we going to spend the winter 
here ? ” 

“That’s my present plan,” answered Mr. Stan- 


INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN 2ig 

nard. " I must see about getting comfortable 
quarters right away.” 

With his wonted energy he addressed himself to 
the business of getting settled, and Kent was free 
to indulge his spirit of enterprise by doing the city 
on his own account. 

As a matter of course this led him into various 
adventures, one of which threatened at first to as- 
sume a rather serious aspect, and yet never was 
person more innocent of giving offence or breaking 
the law than Kent on this occasion. 


CHAPTER XVII 

A CHAPTER OF ADVENTURES 

It was the morning after their arrival that Kent 
sallied forth alone, save for the companionship of 
Hercules, to see the lions of Srinagar ; Mr. Stannard, 
accompanied by his two servants by way of increas- 
ing his dignity, having gone to seek an audience 
with the Maharajah. 

The day was fine and bright, the air pleasantly 
cool, and Kent in excellent spirits, for he rejoiced 
at the prospect of a lengthened stay in so beautiful 
a place. 

“ There’ll be no trouble about putting in the 
winter here,” he soliloquised, as his eyes ranged 
over the wonderful scenery of the Kashmir Valley, 
and then turned to the quaint and curious sights 
that were round about him. “ I’ll be able to have 
lots of boating, and of bathing too, until the water 
gets too cold ; and there must be some good hunting 
in those woods at the foot of the mountains.” 

Of boating and bathing there certainly need be 

no lack, for the whole wide valley was intersected by 
220 


A CHAPTER OE ADVENTURES 


221 


gently flowing streams, and broad reaches of placid 
river almost worthy to be called lakes. 

But it was neither boatiug nor bathing that 
Kent had in mind that morning ; he wanted to 
“ do the town ” first, and so he strode along with 
keen eyes for all that was of interest to him. 

Presently he found himself by the banks of the 
river Jhelam, which forms the chief highway to the 
city, and is always crowded with boats. Having 
spent an hour watching the boats glide to and fro, 
and listening to the strange cries of the boatmen, 
he turned back, intending to make a short cut to 
his starting-point. In order to do this he had to 
cross a large field wherein were grazing some cattle, 
and had he not for the moment forgotten one of 
Hercules’ bad habits, he would certainly not have 
entered the enclosure. 

It was not until the mastiff bounced away from 
him barking furiously, and charging upon the cattle 
as though he was minded to devour at least a couple 
of them, that his young master realised his error. 

“ Come back. Here ! Come back here, you rascal ! ” 
he shouted angrily. “ Leave those cows alone ! ” 

But if Hercules heard him, he did not obey him. 
On the contrary, he bayed only the more fiercely, 
and sprang at the animals’ throats in a way that 
threatened serious injury to some of them if he was 
not summarily checked. 


222 


ON THE WOKLD'S ROOF 


Provoked by his dog’s conduct, and apprehensive 
of its getting him into trouble, Kent picked up a large 
stick from the ground, and rushed after him, swinging 
the stick over his head, and crying — 

“ Down, Here, down, or I’ll thrash the life out 
of you ! ” 

The panic-stricken cattle had stampeded towards 
one corner of the field, followed by the mastiff and, 
of course, by Kent, and they were there huddled 
up in a closely packed mass, when there suddenly 
appeared on the other side of the stone wall four 
Kashmir soldiers, whose swarthy countenances ex- 
pressed such horror and indignation that Kent was 
fairly struck spell-bound, and the uplifted stick 
dropped to his side. 

For a moment they seemed undecided which to 
first throw themselves upon, the dog or his master. 
Then one of them grunted out something, where- 
upon they divided forces, two of them making for 
Kent, and two for Hercules. If ever the mastiff 
showed his sagacity, it was then ; for, instead of 
showing fight, as Kent fully expected he would, 
he suddenly stopped baying at the cattle, took one 
good look at the coming soldiers, and — bolted in- 
continently, leaving his master to face the music 
alone. 

Kent felt no less hurt than astonished at this un- 
expected desertion ; but he had no time to nurse his 


A CHAPTEK OF ADVENTURES 223 

imagination, for all four of the soldiers now turned 
their attention on him, and their bearing was so 
menacing that almost instinctively he began to 
apologise for his dog’s misbehaviour. 

“ I’m really very sorry that Here chased the 
cows,” he said in quite a humble tone. “ I never 
knew him do such a thing before, and I shall cer- 
tainly give him a tremendous thrashing as soon as I 
get hold of him.” 

He had no idea how far the men would un- 
derstand him. He simply spoke what was in his 
heart, and was therefore highly indignant when, 
instead of accepting his apology, they threw them- 
selves upon him as though he had been a violent 
malefactor, and proceeded to bind his hands behind 
his back with the girdle of one of their number. 

“ What do you mean ? ” he demanded, too full 
of wrath at this indignity to have room for fear. 
“ What right have you to treat me in this way ? ” 

But they took no notice of his irate protests, and 
when he strove mightily to burst his bonds, one of 
them, who seemed to be the chief of the quartette, 
drew forth an ugly-looking dagger, and pointed it 
meaningly at Kent’s throat. 

This threat was not without effect. Kent’s com- 
mon-sense now came to his rescue, and realising 
that further resistance was not only vain, but might 
lead to serious consequences, he ceased both speech 


224 ON THE world’s ROOF 

and struggle, and resigned himself to his fate. All 
the time he was marvelling what offence he could 
have committed. That he was in the hands of the 
authorities seemed clear enough, for his captors 
certainly were not highway robbers. Beyond that, 
however, he was entirely in the dark. 

‘^Oh, well,” he finally said to himself, as he 
trudged along he knew not whither, with the four 
soldiers forming a bodyguard about him, "I’ll be 
taken before some kind of a magistrate, I suppose, 
and then I’ll know what it’s all about.” 

The soldiers went back into the city, and while 
passing through one of the streets whom should 
they meet but Bunty, who had a little while before 
been despatched by Mr. Stannard in quest of Kent. 

On seeing the boy in so strange a plight the 
faithful Goorkha’s swarthy countenance first ex- 
pressed blank amazement, and then fierce indigna- 
tion, and clapping his hand on his huge knife, it 
seemed for a minute as though he would rush upon 
the soldiers single-handed. 

But Kent called out to him, " Take care, Bunty. 
Don’t do that. It’ll only make matters worse. 
Come along with them, and see if you can’t help 
me out of this scrape.” 

Very reluctantly Bunty withdrew his hand from 
his knife and did as he was bid, keeping so close 
to the little group that the soldiers glanced appre- 


A CHAPTER OF ADVENTURES 22 $ 

hensively at him, evidently fearing that the big 
knife might yet be brought into play. 

Thus escorted, Kent presently reached the palace 
of the Maharajah, where the soldiers handed him 
over to an important-looking official, with a report 
as to the reasons for his arrest. Bunty followed 
sturdily, scorning the half-hearted efforts of the 
soldiers to detain him, and soon they came into the 
presence of a grave, grey-bearded, dignified official, 
who was evidently a kind of magistrate. 

Not until then did Kent learn what the trouble 
was and why he had been arrested. 

The magistrate being a Hindoo, Bunty understood 
his language, and acted as interpreter. When Kent 
was then told the charge against him, his first 
impulse was to break into a laugh, it seemed so 
utterly trivial ; but, noting the concern on the 
devoted Goorkha’s countenance, he restrained him- 
self by an effort, and strove to put himself right 

It seemed that the Maharajah and all the ruling 
caste in Kashmir were Hindoos, and, of course, an 
important principle in their religion was profound 
reverence for cattle. The cow was so sacred an 
animal that it must not be abused in any way, 
while to kill it for eating purposes was almost a 
capital offence. 

Now the herd of cattle that Hercules had so in- 
opportunely chased belonged to no less A personage 

p 


226 


ON THE world's ROOF 


than the Maharajah himself, and as, according to 
the statements of the soldiers, Kent had been aiding 
and abetting the sacrilegious conduct of his dog, it 
was plain enough that he had got himself into an 
awkward fix. 

So soon as Kent realised this he sent Buuty off 
for his father, feeling confident that he would be able 
to straighten out matters for him. Mr. Stannard, 
on being informed of his son's plight, at once went 
to the British Resident, and having secured his good 
offices, hastened to the palace, where Kent greeted 
him joyously. 

“ 0 father, I'm so glad you've come ! " he ex- 
claimed. " They're trying to scare the life out of 
me here, when I have not done any harm at all.” 

" You're not easily scared, are you, my boy ? ” 
responded Mr. Stannard cheerily ; and then, taking 
out his pocket-knife, he severed the girdle which 
bound Kent's wrists and threw it indignantly upon 
the floor, saying, “ Did they take you for some 
desperate character that they tied you up that 
way ? ” 

The magistrate frowned at this summary pro- 
ceeding, but the British Resident said something to 
him that restored the amiable expression to his face. 

The whole matter was then gone into, with the 
result that Kent succeeded in satisfying the magis- 
trate that neither he nor his dog had any thought 


A CHAPTER OF ADVENTURES 22/ 

of showing disrespect to the State religion ; and on 
Mr. Stannard undertaking to see that the mastiff 
was henceforth kept chained up, or not allowed out 
except in leash, the magistrate expressed himself 
satisfied, and Kent was released. 

Oddly enough, before a week had passed Hercules 
got into another scrape, and again it was with the 
Maharajah's animals. 

Kent and his father had him out with them 
one day for a walk, Kent leading him by a long strap, 
when, in the suburbs of the city, they encountered 
a hunting-party returning from the mountains. 

The Maharajah was one of the party, and his 
servants were leading several dogs that had been 
in the chase. They were splendid creatures, longer 
and higher in body even than Hercules, but not 
so strongly framed, and somewhat resembling 
Newfoundland dogs in the colour and character of 
their fur. 

Not anticipating any trouble, Kent stopped to 
admire them, exclaiming, “ Just look, father ! Aren't 
those huge fellows ? Why, I believe they’re bigger 
than Hercules ! " 

The words had hardly left his mouth, when 
Hercules let out a roar worthy of an African lion, 
and with a plunge that tore the strap from Kent's 
hand, rushed at one of the hunting-dogs as though 
it were some beast of prey. 


228 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


Instantly there was wild confusion Mr. Stannard 
and Kent doing their best to haul the mastiff off his 
prostrate victim, while the latter’s mates strained at 
their leashes in frantic eagerness to join in the row, 
and the swarthy servants shouted and rushed around, 
seeming to have completely lost their wits. 

The Maharajah had been some distance behind, 
but, seeing the disturbance, galloped up, and 
angrily asked what was the matter. One look from 
his own eyes was sufficient to afford him an answer, 
and, his face suddenly blazing with wrath, he gave 
orders that his dog’s assailant should be killed at 
once. 

Happily Mr. Stannard overheard the command, 
and although there was certainly no excuse for 
Hercules, he was very loath to have the creature 
killed, seeing how much attached to him Kent was. 
He accordingly at once placed himself in front of 
the still struggling dogs, saying firmly yet politely, 
“ My dog must not be killed, your Excellency. 
I will be answerable for any injury he may do.” 

Eecognising Mr. Stannard, the Maharajah checked 
his anger, and responded with equal courtesy — 
“ Your wishes shall be respected. Sahib. Will you 
please see if you can separate the dogs ? ” 

Just at that moment Hercules drew off a little 
for a front attack, and seizing the opportunity, 
Kent caught him around the neck and held him 


A CHAPTER OF ADVENTURES 229 

back. But he had to suffer for his interference. 
With marvellous quickness, the hunting-dog sprang 
at his assailant, and his great teeth caught one of 
Kent’s hands as in a vice. 

The pain was so intense as almost to make 
him faint, and having to let go Hercules, the 
fight would instantly have been renewed, had not 
Mr. Stannard grasped the mastiff at the same 
moment as two of the Maharajah’s servants got 
hold of their dog, and the combatants were finally 
separated. 

Of course Mr. Stannard made every possible 
apology for the misconduct of the mastiff, and it 
being found that the hunting-dog was not seriously 
injured, thanks to his thick fur, the matter was 
smoothed over satisfactorily, and the whole party 
returned together to the city. 

“ Now, Kent,” said Mr. Stannard when they got 
back to their own quarters, “you must have a 
muzzle made for Hercules immediately. He can’t 
be unchained again until it is on.” 

Kent quite concurred in this, and so a stout 
muzzle was procured ; and, strange to say, when it 
was put on, much against his will, it seemed to 
take all the fight out of the mastiff. He became 
as gentle as a spaniel, and never attempted to 
fly at anything in the street, so that Kent could 
safely take him with him wherever he went. 


230 


ON THE WOELD’s KOOF 


The more Kent saw of the Kashmir Valley the 
more inclined he was to accept the legend of its 
having been the original Garden of Eden. Although 
they had come to it in the autumn, vegetation 
was still fresh and verdurous ; indeed the verdure 
lasted all through the winter, so that it might be 
said with truth of this wonderful region, “ There 
eternal summer dwells.” 

The rich green plains, studded with groves of 
elms and plane-trees, or laid with stately lines of 
poplars, were intersected in every direction by gentle 
streams and sluggish canals, while here and there 
rivers expanded into broad reaches worthy of the 
name of lakes. 

Along these water-ways Kent delighted to glide 
in one of the light boats to be had at the city, 
and in the management of which he soon became 
so expert that he would often leave the boatman 
behind when he went out for a row. 

Within easy reach of Srinagar was the beautiful 
Dal Lake, an expanse of transparent water seven 
miles long by three miles wide, and here Kent saw 
the famous floating islands of which he had heard 
so much. They certainly were very curious affairs, 
being formed by the reeds, sedges, water-lilies, and 
other aquatic plants growing together in riotous 
confusion, and entwining their stems until they 
formed a matted mass, which presently would break 


A CHAPTER OF ADVENTURES 


231 


away from its roots and go floating off. The 
people living on the borders of the lake would then 
spread out the leaves of these plants over the stems, 
and covering them with a layer of earth, plant 
melons and cucumbers, which grew luxuriantly. 
The islands thus became floating gardens, and upon 
some of them vines were cultivated successfully, so 
that they formed valuable possessions. 

On one of their excursions to Dal Lake, Kent 
went off alone to one of these islands, while his 
father was exploring the ruins of an old temple 
which did not interest his son at all. There were 
many flue melons on this island, and Kent’s mouth 
watered as he saw them sleeping on its surface in 
their green and golden beauty. 

At last he made up his mind that he must have 
one of them, for they seemed altogether too luscious 
to be left untasted. 

“ I wonder where the owner of this island is,” he 
said to himself, looking around in all directions. 
“ I’d be glad to pay him whatever he wants for a 
good big melon,” and he clinked some silver coins 
in his pocket. 

But there was no owner in sight, and allowing 
the righteous intention to pay if he could to quiet 
the prickings of conscience, Kent ran his boat 
alongside the island, and landed on its quaking 
bosom. 


232 


ON THE world's ROOF 


The best melons were in the centre of the island, 
and thinking that he might as well be hung for 
a sheep as for a lamb, he cautiously picked his 
way thither. After some deliberation he at length 
selected his melon, and having picked it up, was 
just about to return to the boat, when the treach- 
erous soil gave way beneath him, and he sank to 
his shoulders in the muck. 

Nor was this the full measure of his misfortune ; 
for, on turning his eyes shoreward in quest of aid, 
he saw hastening towards the island a boat contain- 
ing two men, whose faces betokened that they were 
bent on avenging the trespass on their property. 


CHAPTEE XVIII 

THE STORMING OF NILT FORTRESS 

Thinking only of the danger of being swallowed up 
in the foul, tenacious muck, Kent shouted to the 
approaching man, “ Quick ! quick ! I’m sinking 
fast ! ” Whereat one of them gave him a ferocious 
scowl that plainly showed what his intentions were. 

In another minute they had reached the island, 
and springing ashore recklessly — for they were too 
angry to pick their steps — made their way to Kent’s 
side. 

By a desperate effort he had succeeded in getting 
his feet upon a bunch of roots that afforded him 
support, and was thus enabled to free his arms. 

The first intention of the men was undoubtedly 
to fall upon him and belabour him soundly, but just 
as they came within striking distance Kent waved 
them off with his arms, shouting in a warning tone, 
“ Don’t you dare strike me ; I’m English.” 

The last word in the sentence was probably the 
only one they understood, but it was sufficient to 
give them pause. 


*33 


234 


ON THE WOKLD’S KOOF 


They came to a full stop, and whispered together 
earnestly, Kent being able to make out the word 
“ Sahib.” 

Then they both looked at him carefully, while he 
exclaimed impatiently, “Hurry up, won't you, and 
get me out of this beastly hole ! ” 

Suddenly the expression of their countenances 
changed. Anger gave way to surprise, and then to 
interest, and after a few more words together, one 
went to each side of Kent, and taking him under 
the arms, in a trice they had him up on firmer 
ground. 

“ Thank you very much,” said Kent, offering his 
hand to them, the meaning of which, however, they 
evidently did not understand, and therefore failed 
to reciprocate. “ But Fm in an awful mess, to be 
sure,” he continued, looking down ruefully at his 
reeking garments. “ How on earth am I to get this 
horrible stuff cleaned off?” 

The men were now talking together, and pointing 
at the melon, which had fallen from Kent’s hands 
when he tumbled in, and lay among the leaves in 
front of him. He noted their glances, and saying 
pleasantly, “Oh, that’s all right; Fll pay for that,” 
he took some coins out of his pocket and offered 
them in payment. 

This honourable proceeding cleared away all the 
clouds. Both men grew amiable at once, and 


THE STORMING OF NILT FORTRESS 235 

having accepted the coins, manifested their utmost 
eagerness to be helpful. With their aid Kent 
cleaned up as best he could, and then went to 
rejoin his father, not forgetting to take the melon 
along. 

Mr. Stannard was greatly amused when the 
adventure was described to him. 

** That was a happy thought of yours proclaiming 
yourself English, Kent,” he said. “We are well 
thought of by the people here, and they would not 
do anything to offend us. I hope your melon will 
prove worth all the trouble you had in getting 
it.” 

They had the melon at dinner that night, and 
it proved so luscious and exquisite of flavour that 
Kent declared he would be quite willing to endure 
a similar experience in order to procure another. 

In riding, hunting, sight-seeing, boating, and 
making the acquaintance of the people the winter 
months slipped quickly and pleasantly by, and the 
time came to lay out the programme for the spring 
season. 

Mr. Stannard was somewhat undecided what to 
do. There were many attractive plans open before 
him, and he was weighing one against another, 
while Kent gave his opinion freely, when news 
came to Kashmir that at once gave a definite direc- 
tion to his thoughts. 


236 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


Some two hundred and fifty miles to the north 
of Srinagar stood Gilgit, the farthest outpost of the 
Indian Empire, and the key to all the good passes 
over the Hindoo Koosh mountains into India. As 
may be easily imagined, it was, from a strategic 
point of view, a place of the first importance, keep- 
ing open as it did the way to Chitral, that invalu- 
able bufier against the aggressions of the relentless 
Kussian bear. 

When, therefore, the alarming report was brought 
that Gilgit was threatened by the Hunza-Nagars, 
the blood-thirsty mountaineers who never ceased 
fighting each other except to combine against some 
common foe, it caused great excitement in Kash- 
mir, and the Maharajah’s Government and the 
British representatives at once took counsel together 
to meet the emergency. 

The result of their deliberation was, that they 
determined to despatch as promptly as possible a 
force sufficient not only to foil the tribesmen’s de- 
signs, but to prevent their making another attempt 
in the future. 

So soon as this was decided upon, Mr. Stannard 
asked permission to join the expedition. His re- 
quest was granted at once, and Kent learned of his 
father’s project with unqualified delight. 

“ And will we take Champ and Bunty with us ? ” 
he asked eagerly. 


THE STOKMING OF NILT FORTRESS 237 

“ Why, certainly, Kent,” replied Mr. Stannard. 
“ They will be very useful to us.” 

And may Here come too ? ” Kent asked again, 
this time with some uncertainty in his tone. 

Mr. Stannard looked thoughtful ; indeed he was 
about to say “Ko,” when a glance at the boy’s 
anxious, entreating countenance made him change 
his mind. "Oh, I suppose so,” he responded, 
with a certain show of reluctance, whereupon 
Kent sprang at him and gave him a great hug, 
exclaiming — 

“You dear old pater, you; you’re just as good 
as you can be 1 I’m so glad you don’t mind Here 
coming too.” 

After any amount of bustle and bother, the little 
army that was to teach the tribesmen a lesson in 
right behaviour got itself to Gilgit in good order and 
condition, Kent enjoying every stage of the journey 
thither, because of the novelty and interest of his 
surroundings. The little mountain town, thus be- 
come so suddenly a centre of intense life and 
activity, swarmed with soldiers, of whom some two 
thousand were assembled. 

Kent at once set himself to get acquainted 
with the different kinds of troops, and by the 
end of a couple of days could have passed a highly 
creditable examination upon their various charac- 
teristics. 


ON THE WOELD’S EOOF 


238 

There were sturdy, swarthy Goorkhas, with whom 
Bunty promptly fraternised joyously; grave and 
stalwart Sikhs, among whom Champ found many 
friends; tall, wiry Pathans, with the speed and 
endurance of deerhounds; and odd little Punialis, 
who insisted upon retaining their native swords 
and shields, although they were all armed with 
good carbines. 

The officers were' mainly English, and made up 
a very pleasant and congenial circle, to which 
Mr. Stannard and Kent found themselves cordially 
welcomed. 

While the main body of troops was winding its 
slow way along through the deep rocky valleys, the 
staff officers pushed on ahead, the Stannards accom- 
panying them, and presently reached the Kotal, a 
lofty peak, from whose summit could be obtained 
a clear view of the Kanjut Valley, in the heart 
of which stood Nilt Fort, whose thick walls and 
tall towers promised a stern resistance, for there 
the enemy lay in waiting. 

“ That fort looks as if it would give us some 
fun before it is taken, Mr. Stannard,” said the com- 
manding officer, who had been studying it through 
his field-glass. 

“ It does indeed, Colonel Durand,” replied Mr. 
Stannard. “ If the case were reversed, and you had 
the fort, with plenty of supplies and ammunition, 


THE STOEMING OF NILT FORTRESS 239 

I think you might safely defy all the tribes in 
the country round about to turn you out; but I 
expect you’ll not be long in taking it by storm.” 

On the following day the preparations for attack- 
ing the fort began, and Kent watched them with 
keenest interest. It would be his first taste of real 
warfare, and his heart burned to take part in it him- 
self ; but to this his father would not at all consent. 

“ No, no, my boy,” he said firmly. " I didn’t 
bring you here to make you a target for these blood- 
thirsty heathens. It will be time enough for you 
to share in the fighting when it falls to your duty 
to do so. In this case you are simply a spectator, 
and must conduct yourself accordingly.” 

Omitting no precaution against surprises and 
sudden attacks, the British force, now reduced to 
a thousand men, the others having been left as 
garrisons on the way, advanced along the maidan 
by the river - side, crossing frightful nullahs and 
scrambling up rocky slopes, until at last it reached 
the terraces before Nilt, and the mountaineers’ 
citadel stood within striking distance. It was cer- 
tainly a formidable place to attack, seeing that the 
British had with them none of the requisites for a 
siege, and only a couple of seven-pounder field-guns 
for artillery. 

Nilt was a very rabbit-warren of strongly built 
stone houses, two or three stories high, with narrow 


240 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


alleys between, and the whole enclosed by a great 
stone wall fifteen to twenty feet in height and twcdve 
feet thick, with large square towers at intervals. 
Another wall about eight feet high, and loopholed 
for musketry, surrounded the main wall ; and beyond 
it the ground fell away precipitously on all sides^ 
save at one point where there was a narrow approach 
to the chief gate. 

Such was the place which the peculiar situa- 
tion of the invading force rendered it necessary 
to capture in a few hours, although the Kanjutis 
flattered themselves that it could hold out for a 
year or more. 

With a rare mingling of caution and daring, the 
commanding officer laid out his plan of attack, and 
with a really remarkable degree of intelligence and 
docility, the native troops put his commands into 
execution. 

The Nilt garrison deemed themselves thoroughly 
secure behind their massive stone walls, whose many 
loopholes commanded every avenue of approach, so 
that it meant no small risk to get near enough to 
the fort to send in an effective fire. Yet the plucky 
little Goorkhas advanced blithely across the broken 
ground, making short rushes, and utilising every 
bit of cover until they were within short range, and 
could open a brisk fire upon the riflemen at the 
loopholes and upon the parapets. 


THE STORMING OF NILT FORTRESS 24 1 

While they were doing this, the Punialis swarmed 
up a height which commanded the fort and peppered 
away from that point, the Sikhs, under the cover 
of tlieir fire, venturing to descend the hill into the 
trench before the fort, and then audaciously firing 
into the loopholes only a few yards distant. 

Mr. Stannard had taken Kent up to a bluff at the 
edge of the river-cliff, whence a clear view of the 
whole proceedings could be obtained, and here they 
stood watching everything with breathless interest, 
Kent crying out from time to time in enthusiastic 
admiration of the daring and address of the different 
bodies of troops engaged in the attack. 

Not far from them the Gatling gun and the two 
seven-pounders had got into position, and blazed 
away at Nilt, without, however, doing any great 
damage, the walls of the fortress being so tremen- 
dously thick. 

The siege had gone on for over an hour without 
the British force gaining any appreciable advantage, 
when Kent’s keen eyes detected through the smoke 
and dust below a band of men, not more than a 
hundred in all, making a rush for the outer wall. 

“ Look ! father, look ! ” he cried, grasping his 
father excitedly by the arm. “They’re going to 
storm the fort!” 

“ With such a handful of men ! ” exclaimed Mr. 
Stannard, his face expressing both astonishment 

Q 


242 ON THE WOELD'S EOOF 

and disapproval. “ Why, they must be mad ! 
They’ll never reach the inner wall alive, let alone 
go over it.” 

If the members of the little storming party were 
mad, there certainly was much method in their 
madness. Charging across the open space, regard- 
less of the hail of bullets from the fort, they came 
to the wooden gate of the outer wall, which the 
Goorkhas quickly hacked into splinters with their 
irresistible kukris. 

The daring fellows were now in front of the 
main wall, and so close to it that the officers fired 
their revolvers into the loopholes. It seemed as 
if every one of them must be shot down, and the 
fall of several brought sympathetic groans from 
Kent, who was in danger of tumbling over the 
edge of the cliff in the intensity of his feelings. 

Yet Captain Aylmer, accompanied by his Pathan 
orderly, dashed gallantly forward to the main gate, 
which was very strongly built, and placing a heavy 
charge of gun-cotton at its foot, fixed and ignited 
the fuse, all the while being exposed to the fire 
from the towers which flanked the gate, as well as 
from loopholes in the gate itself. The coolness no 
less than the brilliancy of this feat was beyond 
all praise, and Kent was simply spell-bound with 
admiration, so that he could only murmur, “ Oh ! I 
hope he won’t be shot ! I hope he won’t be shot ! ” 


THE STORMING OP NILT FORTRESS 243 

Captain Aylmer was shot, and at such short 
range that his clothes and flesh were burned by 
the gunpowder. Happily, however, it was only a 
nasty flesh-wound in the leg, that did not put him 
hors de combat. 

There were some moments of thrilling suspense as 
the expected explosion was awaited. But no explo- 
sion came ; and Captain Aylmer, who had retreated a 
little distance along the wall, was seen to return to the 
gate, readjust the fuse, and, after several attempts, 
get it properly lighted. While accomplishing this 
he was again wounded, one hand being terribly 
crushed by a big stone hurled from the battlements. 
Next moment there came a tremendous explosion, 
and the air was full of dust and flying stones; but, 
without waiting for either to clear away, the British 
officers and their handful of Goorkhas rushed 
through the breach, and engaged in a hand-to-hand 
conflict with the garrison. 

At first they were so few in numbers that it 
seemed as if they must be driven back or killed 
where they stood, and one of the officers returned 
for reinforcements, thus exposing himself to a 
double danger, the fire from the walls and the 
covering fire of his own supporters. Yet in a few 
minutes he was back again untouched, and accom- 
panied by a number of Goorkhas and Sikhs, who 
charged through the gate and into the narrow 


244 ON THE world's ROOF 

alleys, driving the defenders of the fort before 
them like chaff before the wind. 

One rush did it. The Kanjutis stayed not upon 
the order of their going, but went at once, fleeing 
through the back gate of the fort and down into 
Nilt nullah behind, where they found refuge among 
the numerous sangas which had been erected in 
the nullah or on the opposite heights. 

Great were the rejoicings in the British camp 
at the capture of the fortress of Nilt. Captain 
Aylmer and his gallant associates came in for 
unstinted praise, and the commanding ofiicer let 
it be known that at least three recommendations 
for the Victoria Cross would be made by him. 

Kent was very proud of the way the Goorkhas 
and Sikhs had borne themselves, and he congratu- 
lated Cliamp and Bunty as warmly upon the con- 
duct of their tribesmen as if they were all their 
own brothers. 

But although Nilt was taken, there was plenty 
of work yet to be done. The Kanjutis still held 
the valley by virtue of their forts and sangas on 
the opposite heights, from which they must needs 
be cleared. This was likely to be a business 
requiring time and patience, so the little army 
set about securing quarters until the way should 
be clear to go on. 

The following days were full of skirmishes and 


THE STORMING OF NILT FORTRESS 245 

artillery duels (for the natives had some small 
cannon of their own), without any definite result 
being accomplished. Kent each day grew increas- 
ingly impatient to be allowed to join one of these 
skirmishing parties, but Mr. Stannard would not 
give his consent. 

At last one afternoon, when Mr. Stannard had 
gone up on the heights and Kent had remained 
behind, the boy’s eagerness overcame his sense of 
filial duty, and he joined a small band of Goorkhas 
sent out on a reconnaisance. 

Finding the coast clear, as they imagined, they 
advanced farther than they should have done, and 
suddenly found themselves in a trap. A heavy 
volley from jezails and Winchesters was poured 
upon them by hidden marksmen. Several of the 
party fell, mortally wounded. There was no 
resource but flight, and Kent had joined with the 
others in showing his heels, when he tripped upon 
a loose stone and fell headlong, just as the Kan- 
jutis rushed howling after their enemies. The 
next moment they were upon him. 


OHAPTEK XIX 

THE BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS 

When Kent realised that he was a prisoner in the 
hands of the Kanjutis his heart almost stood still 
for terror. While with the British forces he had 
heard many blood-curdling tales of the ferocity and 
cruelty of these hill-men, and he expected nothing 
else than that he would be subjected to horrible 
tortures and ultimate death at their hands. 

Indeed, for that matter, to judge from first ap- 
pearances, his expectation was not ill founded, his 
captors manifested such malignant glee at having 
him in their power, and hastened away so eagerly 
to their stronghold beyond the nullah, chattering 
volubly to one another as they ran. 

“ I suppose they’re talking about what they’ll do 
with me when they get me over there,” poor Kent 
soliloquised, his mind filled with the darkest appre- 
hensions. “ I wish I could make out what they 
are saying.” 

Had he been able to do so he would hardly have 
been much wiser as to his fate, for it soon appeared 

246 


THE BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS 247 

that there was a very decided difference of opinion 
upon the point, some crying out for putting the 
young Sahib thus at their mercy to the torture, 
while cooler heads advocated keeping him as a 
prisoner who might be exchanged to advantage. 

Kent was taken to the Thol fort, on the far side 
of the Nilt nullah — a citadel not so strong in itself 
as Nilt, hut having a better natural situation, and 
being more fully protected by sangas along the edge 
of the cliff in front of it and upon the heights above. 

This Thol fort, and its mate, the Maiun fort, on 
the opposite side of the Kan jut river, completely 
commanded the valley, and until they were both 
taken by the British the expedition could not ad 
vance a yard beyond Nilt. 

On reaching the fort Kent was rudely flung into 
a dark, noisome den of a place, with low stone roof 
and earthen floor, and left there to vex his soul with 
vain conjectures as to his doom. 

Never before in his life had he been in circum- 
stances of such utter misery. There was absolutely 
no redeeming feature about his case. He had gone 
out with the skirmishing party in direct disobedi- 
ence to his father’s commands. He had been cap- 
tured, not when boldly facing the enemy, but when 
ignobly fleeing before them, and now he was a help- 
less prisoner, not even able to plead for mercy were 
he disposed to do so. 


248 ON THE WORLD'S ROOF 

“Ah, Kent!” he murmured, shaking his head 
sorrowfully, “ you’ve brought this all upon yourself 
and, whatever happens, you alone are to blame.’ 
Then the thought of his father s anxiety corning to 
him, his eyes filled with tears as he sighed, “ Poor 
father I how distressed he will be, and how hurt at 
my disobeying him ! Oh ! why was I such a fool ? ” 
and in an agony of contrition and remorse, he threw 
himself down upon a heap of dirty straw that filled 
one corner of his cell. 

Meanwhile Mr. Stannard had returned to Nilt, 
and learned, with consternation and sinking at heart 
of his son’s foolish conduct and its consequences’ 
All the others of the party had escaped scatheless, 
and Mr. Stannard, in the poignancy of his grief, was 
at first moved to condemn them strongly for having 
deserted his boy. But he reflected that Kent had 
no business to be with them, and that they were in 
nowise bound to stand by him ; and then, after all, 
they had their own heads to save. 

When the first outburst of passion had spent 
itself Mr. Stannard grew calm and collected. If 
his son were to be rescued alive the utmost skill 
and strategy would be necessary, and there was 
nothing to be gained by wild manifestations of 
feeling. 

When Bunty learned of the serious plight of his 
young master he became almost frantic with fury at 


THE BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS 249 

the insolence of the Kanjutis, and was all for get- 
ting up a volunteer party from among his country- 
men, and following hot upon the tribesmen’s trail. 
But that, of course, was impracticable in every way, 
and, realising this, he subsided sufficiently to take 
counsel with Mr. Stannard as to the possibility of 
securing Kent’s release alive. 

Fur the present there seemed nothing to be done. 
The Kanjutis could not be driven from their two 
strong fortresses, Thol and Maiun, in the same man- 
ner as they had been from Nilt fort, without very 
heavy loss. The approaches to the forts were too 
well guarded by sangas and lines of breastworks, 
the vigilance of whose numerous occupants was un- 
remitting, to render any other plan of campaign 
than one based upon the shrewdest strategy and 
most patient persistence of any avail. 

Poor Mr. Stannard therefore had no other alter- 
native than to possess his soul in patience, mean- 
while praying fervently for the preservation of his 
beloved boy from a cruel death. 

If the British had only had with them a battery 
of heavy field-guns the problem of clearing a way 
through the valley would have been settled in short 
measure. ’Tis true they got lots of work out of 
their two seven-pounders and their one Gatling, in 
spite of its fondness for jamming. But the tribes- 
men had so strengthened their sangas with timbers 


250 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


and stone J as to render them practically shell-proof, 
and it seemed a waste of time and ammunition to 
pound away at them. 

Not less than four thousand brave and sturdy 
fighting-men were opposed to the small British 
force, and the commanding officer realised that no 
undue risks could be taken and no men wasted in 
doubtful experiments. 

All this meant delay, and delay meant the pro- 
longing of Mr. Stannard’s agony, so that at times he 
felt like giving himself up to the Kanjutis, if thereby 
he might be assured of his son being still alive, and 
be permitted to share his captivity. 

In the meantime the days were full of reconnais- 
sances and skirmishes, rifle duels at long range in 
the valley, and artillery duels high up among the 
mountain peaks. 

The Kanjutis had a kind of roughly constructed 
cannon, called sher hachas, that threw shot and 
shell in some cases heavier than the seven-pounders, 
but fortunately their marksmen were very wild, and 
the missiles did little harm. 

A constant source of trouble was the presence of 
spies in the British camp, who somehow contrived 
to get word to the enemy of what was projected, 
and in this way more than one attempt to storm 
the nearer sangas was foiled. 

In spite of all these drawbacks and difficulties. 


THE BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS 25 1 

the British troops kept up their spirits, and when 
they could not be fighting amused themselves with 
sport. A thoughtful officer had brought up some 
footballs from Gilgit, and lively games were played 
in the afternoons, in which officers and men joined 
heartily, without regard to difference of rank. The 
little Goorkhas threw themselves into the game 
with great energy and noisy laughter, getting lots 
of amusement out of it in spite of the roughness of 
the ground. 

Very soon, however, the enemy began to object 
to their invaders thus enjoying themselves right 
before their eyes, and made their objections known 
by means of the numerous sher lachas they had 
placed on the mountain - side. Football under 
artillery fire was certainly a novel experience for all 
the players, yet the native guns made such very 
bad practice that neither players nor spectators paid 
any heed to them, and nobody was a whit the 
worse. 

Some of the officers who had brought their golf- 
clubs along even tried to introduce the good old 
game into these mountainous wilds, but they soon 
found that there were too many “ hazards,” for both 
ball and player, to be able to do much at the game. 

It need hardly be said that Mr. Stannard had no 
heart for any of these amusements. The football, 
indeed, added a further pang to his sorrow by 


252 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


making him think how heartily Kent would have 
gone in for it had he been at hand. 

“ He’d have shown them how to do better than 
that,” he murmured, with a sad smile at the awk- 
wardness of the impulsive Goorkhas, who would 
kick without bending the knee, and consequently 
made ludicrous misses. “ Poor dear boy ! God 
alone knows if he’ll ever play football again.” 

While Mr. Stannard was thus pondering and 
praying, the faithful, loving little Goorkha was 
devoting all his powers of mind and body to the 
problem of finding the way to his young master. 

From a captured Kunjati he learned that Kent 
still lived, and was kept a close prisoner in Thol 
fort, although how long his life would be spared 
there was no telling. This fort then became the 
goal of his desires, and certain it was that nothing 
short of his own death would prevent him from 
reaching it. 

He was a skilled cragsman. Nothing in the 
way of dizzy heights or narrow ledge or slippery 
slope could daunt him. Where the chamois itself 
would have had to turn back, Bunty, holding on 
more like a fly than a human being, would find a 
footing somehow. 

So numerous were the enemy’s sangaSy and so 
excellent the use to which they put the many 
varieties of rifles with which they were armed, that 


THE BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS 253 

any attempt to explore the cliffs during the day 
was out of the question. At night only could tlie 
work be done, and then, what with fire-balls and 
rock-avalanches that came rolling down the seem- 
ingly impregnable cliffs at the first warning of 
danger, to say nothing of the perils of a false step 
in the darkness, the risk was quite sufficient to 
deter any but the bravest men. Yet night after 
night Bunty went forth from Nilt fort, and spent 
long weary hours groping in the obscurity for some 
path that would lead the British troops up to the 
heights above Thol, whence they could descend in 
force upon the fortress, and carry it by storm as 
they had done Nilt. 

Mr. Stannard would gladly have joined him had 
he been equal to the task. But he recognised his 
own unfitness, and was fain to content himself 
with warm words of encouragement, and repeated 
promises of a rich reward should the Goorkha’s 
gallant endeavours be crowned with success. 

‘‘Nothing that you can ask of me that it is in 
my power to give will I refuse you if you only 
succeed,” he would say; while Bunty would shake 
his head, and, with a strange look of love and re- 
solution in his dark eyes, reply, “ I want nothing 
but the young Sahib.” 

One night Bunty’s heart beat high with hope. 
He had hit upon a way up the high cliffs where 


254 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


they faced the blockhouse built by the British on 
the ridge. With a dozen of his countrymen he 
noiselessly descended into the Nilt nullah and 
began the difficult ascent of the opposite cliffs. 
For a time all went well, but they had not accom- 
plished one-third of the distance when the watchful 
or well-informed Kanjutis revealed their knowledge 
of the daring design. 

First a gun was fired as a signal from the 
enemy’s lower sanga. Then a loud shout was 
carried up the mountain-side from sanga to sanga, 
in response to which, amid rattle and roar of tom- 
toms, fire-balls and rock-avalanches plunged down 
the precipices, and the quick cracking of a hundred 
rifles and jezails filled the air. 

Poor Bunty and his plucky companions were 
compelled to shrink into holbws of the cliffs, and 
then creep back to the fort, chagrined at the failure 
of their essay. 

Next morning it was observed that two new 
sangas had arisen in the night just over the por- 
tion of the cliff which Bunty had planned to scale. 

Baffled but not beaten, Bunty persevered in his 
daring explorations under the cover of darkness, 
and a few nights later announced to Mr. Stannard 
that he had now found a better path than before, 
and that the enemy could be driven from their 
strongholds if the right means were taken. 


THE BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS 255 

Mr. Stannard at once brought him to the com- 
manding officer, and a council of war was held, 
with the result that Bunty’s plan was approved, 
and the decision made to give it a trial without 
delay. The great thing was to keep the plan of 
attack secret, and so admirably was this done that 
not one of the numerous spies in the British camp 
got any suspicion of what was in the wind. 

A force of one hundred men, fifty Goorkhas and 
fifty Dogras, all hill-men, and equal to anything in 
the way of cliff-climbing, was detailed, under com- 
mand of Lieutenant Manners -Smith and the guid- 
ance of Bunty, to slip away quietly at dinner-time 
and take up a position in the nullah at the foot of 
the cliffs, to hide there until daybreak. 

With the dawn of day a covering party, com- 
posed of the best rifle-shots in camp, took up a 
position on the ridge facing the four sangas that 
were to be stormed by the hundred men still hiding 
in the nullah. Supporting this covering party 
were the two seven-pounders, and as soon as it 
became light enough to see clearly, a storm of 
bullets, solid shot, and shrapnel was directed upon 
the doomed sangas. The moment this firing 
opened the storming party began their ascent, 
Bunty showing the way. 

They had to scale a cliff* more than twelve 
hundred feet in height, while exposed every foot of 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


256 

the way to the fire from the lower sangas, and to 
the even more dangerous avalanches of rocks from 
the upper sangas. It was in every way a most 
daring venture, yet Lieutenant Manners-Smith and 
his men went at it as gaily as though it were some 
competition for a prize. 

As for Bunty, he had but one thought in his 
mind — to reach and to deliver his imperilled young 
master. 

It was certainly an extraordinary scene for a 
battle. To adopt the language of one who was 
a spectator of it all: “From their lofty ridge 
the covering party looked down upon the Kanjut 
Valley, with its rushing river, its terraced fields, 
and its numerous fortified villages, while high above 
the nearer mountains the snowy summits of the 
Hindoo Koosh rose into a cloudless sky. The 
parapets and roofs of the towered fortresses below 
— Maiun, Thol, and the Ziarat — were crowded 
with spectators, anxiously watching the decisive 
action that was being fought out on the mountain 
sky-line high above them, while from every sanga 
and rude sher lacha battery all along the enemy’s 
line of defences the tribesmen looked on in per- 
plexed crowds, wondering what would be the 
result. 

From their lofty position the covering party 
could see the little storming party gradually crawl- 


THE BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS 257 

ing up the cliff-sides, looking more like ants 
picking their way up a rugged wall than human 
beings. 

For some time the garrison of the upper sangas 
had no suspicion of the danger menacing them 
from below, and it was not until the warning came 
across from Maiun that they woke up to the situa- 
tion. Then, in spite of the fierce fire from the 
covering party, they hurled showers of stones down 
the cliff, boldly venturing out into the open to roll 
over the ready-piled rocks, and thereby render- 
ing the position of the climbers perilous in the 
extreme. 

Yet, by great good fortune, none of these were 
swept away, although some were badly bruised, and 
they kept on dauntlessly, until at last Bunty and 
Lieutenant Manners-Smith side by side, closely 
followed by the men, reached the foot of the 
nearest sanga, and running round behind, were 
able for the first time to bring their rifles into 
play. 

One after another the sangas were stormed and 
their defenders put to flight, the charge of the 
British soldiers being so impetuous that the natives 
fled before it like chaff before the wind, making 
such poor use of their weapons that four men 
wounded represented the total of casualties among 
the storming party. 


R 


258 


ON THE world's ROOF 


Amid the echoing cheers from the British camp 
the brave little band under Lieutenant Manners- 
Smith rushed down the mountain-side towards 
Thol, Bunty twenty yards ahead of all, for he was 
determined to get inside the fort ere its garrison 
could have a chance to carry off Kent. 

At the same time a wonderful thing was happen- 
ing that Mr. Stannard never clearly understood. 

Ever since Kent's disappearance Hercules had 
been acting so oddly that it was necessary to keep 
him shut up. Now in some way he obtained his 
liberty, and at once employed it to make straight 
for Thol, as if divining by some instinct that there 
his master was to be found. With great eager 
leaps he bounded down the hillside, across the 
nullah, and up the steep slope, catching Bunty 
just as he reached the gate of the fortress. 

Mr. Stannard's heart thrilled with hope as 
Goorkha and mastiff vanished together. 

“God in heaven grant that they may be in 
time*” he prayed through parched lips. 


CHAPTEE XX 

THE END OF THE JOURNEY 

While all this was taking place, poor Kent, immured 
in his dark, dismal dungeon, to which the reports of 
the rifles and the cries of the Kanjutis indistinctly 
penetrated, was in a perfect agony of suspense. 
He realised that a decisive struggle was in progress, 
and he felt as if he would have consented to sacri- 
fice almost anything if he could only be a witness 
of the conflict and see how the tide of battle 
turned. 

Not only was he concerned about the issue of 
the engagement, but there came to his mind the 
question, “ What will the Kanjutis do with me ? 
Will they carry me away with them, if they are 
driven out of this fort, or ” — and the notion sent a 
chill shudder through him — “ will they kill me in 
revenge for their defeat ? ” 

There was no one to help him solve this awful 
problem. If his place of confinement were guarded, 
the sentinel made no sound. 

Kent listened at the crack of the door for some 

959 


26 o on the worlds roof 

minutes with wildly throbbing heart but not 
a movement could he detect outside the rude 
though strong door that shut him in. Oh, how 
hard it was to be thus confined, when one’s own 
fate was in the balance ! For Kent reasoned that 
either victory or defeat for the natives might mean 
death to him. 

If they suffered defeat, they might kill him by 
way of avenging the death of their own kinsmen 
If they achieved victory, although this he thought 
hardly possible, they might sacrifice him in savage 
exultation over their enemies. All this filled the 
poor boy’s mind with torturing apprehensions, as 
he vainly strove to make out from the muffled 
sounds that found their way to him how the struggle 
was tending. 

In the meantime Bunty, with the dashing reckless- 
ness of a Viking in a Berserk fury, charged into the 
fort, swinging his kukris high in the air, and utter- 
ing appalling cries. Not one of the garrison dared 
to face him, and several that he overtook he cut 
down with one resistless sweep of his terrible 
weapon. 

Just as he entered the gate Hercules joined him, 
quite as fear-inspiring a creature in his own way 
as the Goorkha was in his, and side by side the 
two rushed hither and thither, seeking the young 
master they both so dearly loved. 


THE END OF THE JOURNEY 


261 


From the moment the storming party, small as 
it was, reached the walls of Thol fort panic reigned 
supreme amongst its occupants. Scarce any attempt 
was made at defence, and, hardly striking a blow, 
the Kanjutis fled out through the back gate and 
down into the valley, where they were joined by the 
people from Maiun, and, the two streams of terror- 
stricken fugitives mingling into one mad mob, jostled 
and fought their way up the rough narrow road 
leading farther into the mountains. 

The great majority of the Goorkhas went on 
after them, but Bunty stayed to search for Kent. 
Whether he would have ever found him unaided 
by Hercules cannot be said. Certain it is that, 
after following at his heels for a while, the mastiff, 
as if doubting the man’s ability to accomplish the 
object of their search, went off on his own account. 

A few minutes later Kent, wondering what the 
sudden silence meant, for the noise of battle had 
swept on up the valley, leaving Thol far behind, 
heard a loud sniffing at the door of his prison 
that for the moment filled him with alarm. Yet 
he could not forbear striking the door with his feet 
and calling out, “ Who is that ? What do you 
want ? ” for anything was better than such har- 
rowing uncertainty. 

What words can then describe the thrill of delight 
with which he heard the sniffing change into a 


262 ON THE world's ROOF 

wild outburst of joyous barking that he at once 
recognised ? 

“ Here ! Here ! Oh, you darling fellow !” he 
shouted in tones almost hysterical, for the revulsion of 
feeling unmanned him for the moment. Then he flung 
himself at the door, and strained his strength to the 
utmost in a furious endeavour to force it open. 

But the sturdy barrier defied all his efforts, 
and he gave up the attempt, while he tried to 
devise some other way of escape ; the mastifif out- 
side all the time barking his loudest, as though to 
give him encouragement. 

Had this been all that the presence of Hercules 
effected, it would have been no slight service in 
itself, for Kent sorely needed cheering up. But 
the dog’s tremendous uproar did something better. 
It reached the quick ears of the alert Bunty, who 
was darting hither and thither on his quest of love, 
and presently he too stood before the door of Kent’s 
prison-house. 

“ Is the young Sahib in there ? ” he cried in a 
voice tremulous with eagerness. 

“ Yes, yes, I’m in here, Bunty ! ” Kent replied. 
“ Break down the door, and let me out.” 

“ All right, sir,” responded the Goorkha cheerily. 
“ Me get you out quick, quick,” and he ran off for 
a piece of timber that he had noticed near at hand. 

Returning with this, he called out to Kent to 





Bunty to the Rescue 


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THE END OF THE JOURNEY 263 

stand away from the door, and then, using the 
timber as a battering-ram, attacked the barrier with 
such force that, stout as it was, it had to give way 
before him, and at the third charge it fell in with a 
loud crash. 

Kent was ready to spring forward on the moment, 
and in the excess of his gratitude and delight, he 
first flung his arms around Bunty's fat neck and 
hugged him like a long-lost brother, and then 
repeated the operation with Hercules. It would 
not have been easy to say which of the two, the 
man or the mastiff, manifested the most joy at the 
recovery of their master, and certainly the boun- 
daries of India did not contain a happier trio that 
morning. 

“ Where is my father ? Is he all right ? ” were 
Kent’s eager questions as soon as he got his breath. 

“ Sahib all right. Him looking for you,” replied 
Bunty, nodding vigorously. 

There was no need for further speech. Grabbing 
the Goorkha’s arm Kent rushed off, impatient to be 
outside the hateful walls which had confined him. 
There was no one to oppose him, and he soon stood 
on the maidan, with the whole valley outspread 
before him. 

There was still much of interest in the scene, for 
the British soldiers were now in full cry after the 
fleeing hill-men, but it was towards Nilt that Kent 


264 ON THE world’s ROOF 

turned his eyes, and a cry of joy broke from him 
when he descried a familiar form descending rather 
recklessly into the nullah, evidently making for 
Thol fort. 

“ Father ! 0 father ! ” he cried exultantly, and 
away he dashed across the maidan and down the 
hillside, Hercules bounding and barking beside him, 
and Bunty bringing up the rear. 

Father and son met at the bottom of the nullah, 
and Kent was folded to his father’s heart in a pas- 
sionate embrace, that meant not only joy beyond 
expression at his escape, but forgiveness in full for 
the disobedience which had put him in such peril. 

While they were rejoicing together, the pursuit 
of the panic-stricken Kanjutis went on, and it was 
not until after midday that the weary but trium- 
phant troops returned to be refreshed with dinner 
and to receive further orders. 

Although the valley was effectually cleared, the 
strongholds that protected it emptied of their de- 
fenders, and the sangas destroyed, the commanding 
officer of the expedition considered that the work 
would not be complete until he had followed the 
enemy right up to their capitals, and there clenched 
the advantages already gained. Accordingly, as 
soon as the troops were fed and rested, the line of 
march was taken up, and, burdened by as little 
baggage as possible, the victorious force pushed 


THE END OF THE JOURNEY 26$ 

on up the valley into the heart of the Kanjuti 
territory. 

They were prepared to fight their way if neces- 
sary, but their commander was counting upon little 
or no resistance being offered, as the day’s defeat 
would have so demoralised the natives. 

In this expectation he was not disappointed. 
As the little army advanced it passed through a 
desolate and deserted region, although on every 
hand were evidences of a dense population. 

Now, however, the villages were emptied of their 
inhabitants, and the forts of their garrisons, and in 
many cases given up to the flames. They had been 
fired by the Kanjutis themselves, not by the British, 
and it would take a generation to repair the damage 
thus needlessly done. 

‘‘ What a pity it seems, all this destruction ! ” 
said Kent to his father as they walked along to- 
gether with the vanguard of the invaders. “Why 
did they do it ? To keep us from taking posses- 
sion ? ” 

“For some such reason, my boy,” replied Mr. 
Stannard. “They evidently have as poor an idea 
of us as they have of their native foes. They’ll 
think better of us after they’ve got to know us 
better.” 

But for the depressing influence of so much 
wanton destruction and piteous desolation, the 


266 


ON THE world's ROOF 


scenes through which the British passed would 
have been extremely interesting. The villages 
were well built of stone, with flat-roofed houses 
and lofty walls, having towers at intervals, and 
deep moats that made them seem like mediseval 
European cities on a small scale; while many of 
the forts were perched high up on fearful crags 
in the most romantic positions possible. 

The deep valley through which they were march- 
ing formed the division line between the Hunzas 
and the Nagaris, the two tribes which had united 
to oppose the British advance, and the army was 
on the Nagar side of the Kanjut river, that filled 
the bottom of the valley. 

They had not gone far into the Nagar territory 
when the natives began to evince returning con- 
fidence. They drove their cattle down from the 
mountains, in whose recesses they had hidden them, 
and came to meet the strangers with smiling faces 
and presents of food. 

Kent always had a clear recollection of this stage 
of the march, because for the first time for many 
days it was possible to get fine beef and excellent 
mutton in abundance. He had been on pretty 
poor fare as to quality while at Nilt fort, and had 
been allowed only sufficient to keep him alive while 
a prisoner at Thol. It was no wonder, therefore, 
that he hailed the juicy roasts and crisp brown 


THE END OF THE JOURNEY 267 

chops with great enthusiasm, and felt grateful to 
the Nagaris for supplying the British force so 
liberally. 

Hercules fairly revelled in bones, and had so 
many good meals a day that he threatened to get 
too fat for his own good. 

In this comfortable fashion, and without a shot 
from the enemy, the capital city of Nagar was 
reached, where the invaders were permitted to halt 
for a while before proceeding on to Hunza. 

In the castle of Nagar, which was quite an im- 
posing structure, and capable of holding out against 
a strong force if properly defended, Kent saw the 
Thum, the ruler of the little mountain state, a 
feeble-looking old man, who seemed completely 
bewildered by the calamities of war, and evidently 
longed for peace at any price. 

“Uneasy Ires the head that wears a crown — 
eh, Kent ? ” said Mr. Stannard as they left the 
poor old fellow's presence. “ If he’d only been 
allowed to have his own way there’d have been no 
trouble at all. But his bloodthirsty, blustering 
neighbour, the Thum of Hunza, bullied him into 
fighting us, and now he’s sorry enough to cry over 
his folly.” 

It was this same Thum of Hunza that the com- 
manding officer had upon his mind, and was parti- 
cularly anxious to meet. But the Thum was no 


268 


ON THE world’s ROOF 


less anxious to avoid a meeting. In fact, from 
all that could be learned it seemed clear that he 
had made good use of his head-start to put the 
utmost possible distance between himself and his 
pursuers. 

Notwithstanding this, the British pushed on as 
fast as the extremely rough character of the valley 
road permitted, until at last they came to Huiiza 
city, only to find that the chief object of their 
quest had departed many hours previously, taking 
with him all the treasure he could carry beyond 
the Hindoo Koosh, and leaving his people to 
settle matters with the British force as best they 
might. 

The situation of the Hunza capital was superb 
beyond description, the magnificent mountains 
towering up behind it, and the terraced slopes of 
the foot-hills spreading out before it, descending 
step by step until they ended at the river’s edge. 

Mr. Stannard and Kent were among those who 
secured quarters in the castle, and the zenana por- 
tion being the most comfortable, they chose one of 
those rooms for their occupation. 

The poor ladies of the harem had evidently been 
hurried away with scant ceremony, and there were 
many pathetic proofs of their panic-stricken flight. 
Scattered about in wild confusion were work-boxes 
filled with Manchester cotton and Birmingham 


THE END OF THE JOURNEY 269 

needles, artificial flowers, and unfinished sewing; 
while boxes of tooth-powder, pots of rouge, parasols, 
bits of silk, and other feminine fopperies showed 
that even in these far-away mountain wilds the 
heart of woman was the same as in the centres of 
civilisation. 

Kent’s feelings were moved by these touching 
tokens of terror. “ The poor things,” he said ; “ it 
seems a shame to have scared them away. I’m 
sure we wouldn’t have done them harm if they had 
stayed. And,” he added, with a gleam of humour 
in his eye, “ I’d like very much to have seen some 
of them, too.” 

But this curiosity of his was not to be satisfied, 
although he accompanied the expedition all the 
way to Misgar, a miserable little settlement that 
was the farthest inhabited spot in the Kan jut 
Valley. 

The Thum of Hunza being out of reach beyond 
the Hindoo Koosh, on his way to the dreary Pamirs, 
the commanding officer made Misgar the end of the 
chase, and after a brief occupation the order to return 
to Kashmir was given. 

As Mr. Stanuard and Kent were standing on one 
of the towers watching the troops getting under way, 
Mr. Stannard said in a consoling tone — 

“ Well, Kent, my boy, if we were turned back 
from Thibet, and had our plans balked in that 


270 ON THE world's ROOF 

direction, we at least have the satisfaction of being 
to-day at the very end of the road to Central Asia, 
so far as it has been opened up by British influence. 
Of course England is not going to stop here. 
It won't be long before she's got her foot in Chitral. 
But we won't stay for that. We'll get back to India 
now as fast as we can. We've both had enough 
of this sort of life for the present” 

“ But, father,” cried Kent, his face flushing 
with eagerness, “ you haven’t given up the notion 
of getting to L'hasa, have you ? You'll surely 
try again ? ” 

Mr. Stannard was silent for a moment before 
replying. “ Perhaps I will,” he said in a thoughtful 
tone. " I cannot say now, although I confess I 
hate the idea of being beaten by a lot of ignorant 
mountaineers.” 

The return to Simla was effected without mishap, 
and without any especially exciting incident. Here 
they remained until the rains were over, and then 
went down to Calcutta for the winter. 

The Sikh and Goorkha accompanied them, but 
Hercules had to be left behind, for the climate 
of Lower India would soon prove fatal to him. 
Happily good quarters were obtained for him, 
Kent refusing flatly to give him up altogether. 

“ No indeed,” he said. “ I'll not part with dear 
old Here. We’ll be sure to want him when we 


THE END OF THE JOURNEY 27 1 

try again to get to L’hasa,” and he gave his 
father an arch look that showed how firmly the 
idea was fixed in his mind of making another 
attempt to visit the mysterious capital of the heart 
of Asia. 


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